A Lesson in Odds

Amelia and I went to the Harvard Milk Day arnival last night after work. It was threatening rain when we left and I was unsure what to do but I knew Amelia really wanted to go. We waited in a very long line to buy wrist bands--only to find out you had to have prepaid and were in line to exchange. It began raining while we were in line and they said they were delaying the rides for an hour. So we walked around and Amelia looked at the games. She noted the big stuffed animals and wanted to play all the games. I talked about the games being rigged to be more difficult then they looked and delayed playing anything by insisting we look around. It began raining harder and Amelia looked at it as a good time to ask to play a game under a trailer awning. It was continuing to rain harder and harder and I was getting worried about getting soaked--despite rain gear and an umbrella. I insisted we go to the car and the sky fell as we sat drawing on the foggy car windows.

After almost an hour the rain passed and the setting un came out. Amelia reiterated her desire to play games. I reiterated that the deck is stacked against the consumer--particularly a six year old one. We agreed that she would play one of those that guarantees a winner. I noted that you usually win the small cheaply made toy. My irritated daughter said I know. I know. So I said Ok one and only one game. I give the woman a five and she wants to sell me more games and i say no thankyou. But more is cheaper. No thankyou. I'm cold, wet, I don't want to play carnival games. I am not paying for multiple tries.

Amelia takes her rod and she casts her magnetic fishing line into the water. A pink duck and a yellow duck start to come out. Amelia later tells me she liked the pink one but ducks are supposed to be yellow....... So the duck has a C on its bottom and the lady tells her that means she gets a choice, Amelia is now beside herself walking around the outer edge of the booth checking out each animal with a great deal of intensity and saying "Papa I won...Papa I won!"

She was so happy and excited and I was so happy for her although I felt compelled to remind her that this was unusual--then I felt compelled to remind her to choose wisely--and that now was the time to go for the big one if she ever wanted the big stuffed animals. She almost chose something small and I could tell she was looking for anything monkey. Later she would tell me that she had been looking for one.

Ultimately she selected a penguin who is known in cartoon world as "chilly Willey" but she says, I am not calling him that....," as she hugged it so tight. She was so filled with pride, joy and happiness.

I loved the night, I loved the rain. I loved holding that penguin, which I insisted she not take on the muddy rides--and the logic of that was the only reason she let go of it at each ride. I had to laugh at how poorly my lesson in odds was going to stick.