My Dad Is So Amazing At Carnival Games, They Even Tried To Stop Him Playing
As long as I can remember, my Dad took my sister and I to the local traveling carnival. We would go, get our tickets, ride some rides, eat an elephant ear, then Dad would win us a giant stuffed animal. Every time. This never seemed odd to me at the time but as I got older I realized my Dad had a very special gift, one that brought my sister and I many smiles and keeps bringing smiles today.
He has an amazing ability to hit shot after shot on the basketball game. These carnival games are rigged as much as they can get away with and on the basketball game, the balls are overinflated and the rims are bent to ovals. Despite these improbable odds, he always walks away with at least two massive prizes. A few summers ago they began to cut him off after two because they were losing money (not fair).
My sister and I are older now so we don’t need the stuffed monkey or giant snake (although I still have a couple in my closet), but he keeps going year after year to hand out his winnings to starry-eyed kids. The parents are always grateful and some even ask for pictures.
I wanted to share this small thing about my Dad that seems to make him, and others very happy.
As long as I can remember, my Dad took my sister and I to the local traveling carnival
We would go, get our tickets, ride some rides, eat an elephant ear, then Dad would win us a giant stuffed animal
EVERY TIME. This never seemed odd to me at the time but as I got older I realized my Dad had a very special gift
One that brought my sister and I many smiles and keeps bringing smiles today
A shot I took of him with that weeks prizes.
These carnival games are rigged as much as they can get away with and on the basketball game, the balls are overinflated and the rims are bent to ovals
Despite these improbable odds, he always walks away with at least two massive prizes
This kid was just watching and had no idea he was about to score big!
A few summers ago they began to cut him off after two because they were losing money (not fair)
The local press caught wind of him and gave him a badass alias.
My sister and I are older now so we don’t need stuffed toys, but he keeps going year after year to hand out his winnings to starry-eyed kids
I wanted to share this small thing about my Dad that seems to make him, and others very happy
Here’s one of the many times he scored!
38Kviews
Share on FacebookIt may seem like a small thing to some people, but as a kid, those giant stuffed animals represent the ultimate joy! I was a kid obsessed with stuffed animals and looked at those giant prizes so longingly, it would have took me to the moon to have someone give me one!
There's no way they were losing money. Those plush that carnivals use are incredibly cheaply made and cost mere pennies at the volume they purchase them. Even the huge ones are less than a dollar. When I was in the carnival, I LOVED having someone like that at my booth... it would encourage doubters to try their hand and I made more money.
My dad used to do this with the quarter toss onto glass dishes. He would win us giant teddies and then we would start donating them when we didn't need them or ran out of room. He taught us from a young age to be generous with our talents and that giving even just a small (large, in size) gift to a random child can completely change their view of people.
What a wonderful human being, individual man with fortitude. You couldn't have a had a better dad. Along with all else he is also kind, thoughtful, generous & sweet. He gains pure pleasure from his mastery of an odd skill & uses it to spread great joy, happiness, hope & pleasure to so many kids. You're dad' magical!
it's so true what you said. regret not saying so at the time i first read it.
Load More Replies...Well at least he didn't blow up the game...like in Despicable Me.
I once asked one carnival worker in here about those giant stuffed animals, he said they're just baits, there's not even a way to win them and he felt s****y about all those dads trying to win one for their kids. But this story made me very happy :)
Thank you very much for sharing, it's so sweet and your dad is an angel <3
Wow what an awesome guy!! I remember wanting one of those so desperately as a kid and even a teenager haha. This is such a wonderful thing he does :)
There was a lady with this gift in my town when I was a kid. It always looked so easy for her. She gave me a giant snake when I was little. I was over the moon!
My older brothers are also somehow outrageously good at carnival/arcade games. They'd be able to beat the claw machine more often than not, and sometimes managed to grab two plushies at once.
Sitcom script: " a lovable cross between Jim Carrey and Mark Wahlberg hides his life as a carney
very cool, your dad! so nice to bring smile to kids and their parents
what an amazing person. these fairs cant stop him from spreading good, he will find a way to get around them. keep on spreading happiness!
You're Dad is awesome. A really kind man who loves to make kids happy is a true angel. You are so lucky to have him in your lives. Please give him a hug from me and tell him again how wonderful he is.
I, too, am excellent at carnival games! I chalk it up to being the pitcher of my girls softball team for many years so my aim is quite good. I LOVE to play but I haven't accepted the prizes since I was a kid. Not to shame this dad, but those cheap stuffed animals are terrible for the environment to produce, and they often go right into landfills. So keep on playing but don't support the polyester toys!
It may seem like a small thing to some people, but as a kid, those giant stuffed animals represent the ultimate joy! I was a kid obsessed with stuffed animals and looked at those giant prizes so longingly, it would have took me to the moon to have someone give me one!
There's no way they were losing money. Those plush that carnivals use are incredibly cheaply made and cost mere pennies at the volume they purchase them. Even the huge ones are less than a dollar. When I was in the carnival, I LOVED having someone like that at my booth... it would encourage doubters to try their hand and I made more money.
My dad used to do this with the quarter toss onto glass dishes. He would win us giant teddies and then we would start donating them when we didn't need them or ran out of room. He taught us from a young age to be generous with our talents and that giving even just a small (large, in size) gift to a random child can completely change their view of people.
What a wonderful human being, individual man with fortitude. You couldn't have a had a better dad. Along with all else he is also kind, thoughtful, generous & sweet. He gains pure pleasure from his mastery of an odd skill & uses it to spread great joy, happiness, hope & pleasure to so many kids. You're dad' magical!
it's so true what you said. regret not saying so at the time i first read it.
Load More Replies...Well at least he didn't blow up the game...like in Despicable Me.
I once asked one carnival worker in here about those giant stuffed animals, he said they're just baits, there's not even a way to win them and he felt s****y about all those dads trying to win one for their kids. But this story made me very happy :)
Thank you very much for sharing, it's so sweet and your dad is an angel <3
Wow what an awesome guy!! I remember wanting one of those so desperately as a kid and even a teenager haha. This is such a wonderful thing he does :)
There was a lady with this gift in my town when I was a kid. It always looked so easy for her. She gave me a giant snake when I was little. I was over the moon!
My older brothers are also somehow outrageously good at carnival/arcade games. They'd be able to beat the claw machine more often than not, and sometimes managed to grab two plushies at once.
Sitcom script: " a lovable cross between Jim Carrey and Mark Wahlberg hides his life as a carney
very cool, your dad! so nice to bring smile to kids and their parents
what an amazing person. these fairs cant stop him from spreading good, he will find a way to get around them. keep on spreading happiness!
You're Dad is awesome. A really kind man who loves to make kids happy is a true angel. You are so lucky to have him in your lives. Please give him a hug from me and tell him again how wonderful he is.
I, too, am excellent at carnival games! I chalk it up to being the pitcher of my girls softball team for many years so my aim is quite good. I LOVE to play but I haven't accepted the prizes since I was a kid. Not to shame this dad, but those cheap stuffed animals are terrible for the environment to produce, and they often go right into landfills. So keep on playing but don't support the polyester toys!
466
59