August 7, 2006 at 11:23 pm
· Filed under imported
- Bet lost: The shell game. This was especially embarassing. It was about 1993 or 1994 and I was in line to see the Mighty Mighty Bosstones at First Avenue. As we tended to do growing up in Minnesota, we got to the show early - well before the doors opened - and were standing under the stars waiting for the mainroom to open. Walking up and down the street is this black man with a newspaper, three soda bottle caps, and a crumpled piece of napkin or something. He’s looking for suckers. “Witness! Who amongst thee is man enough to play my shell game!” I stepped up to the challenge. The first bet is for $1. Easy, right? Follow the shells - if I find the cap I win a dollar, if I can’t find it, I lose. He shuffles the caps - I follow the napkin - I win! “Harrr! Ye scallawag be a good foe - quintuple errrrr nothin!” As the stakes raise so does my endorphin level. “I’ll do it.” Shuffle - follow - I win! “Gadzooks! You found it again! 20 bucks - whatdya say?” This is where my pride took a hit it would not soon recover from. I reply: “No, sir, I can’t take your money.” I know these were my exact words because I was amongst good friends whose memories may not always be perfect but knew exactly where the next round of the shell game would lead me and committed this bit of my hubris to permanent memory. The shell guy would not be so easily deterred and convinced me to play again. Shuffle - follow - …
- Amount lost: $20.
- Lost to: Street man of Minneapolis.
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