Jackpot!

My wife and I have made a few trips to Las Vegas, not because we are gamblers of any aptitude, but because it is a fun place to go. It has been several years since our last visit and each time I hear stories of people wanting to legalize gambling in Texas, I'm all for it. Again, I say that as a non-gambler.

I do believe it is worth the dollar you could spend once or twice a week to have the momentary fantasy of playing the state Lotto and actually winning a Bazillillon dollars, but I only believe that is true if you can restrain yourself from fantasizing your paycheck away. And that is the primary reason people seem opposed to allowing gambling here.

I just think it is somewhat awkward that the people who decide whether or not we can increase our tourist trade by opening casinos, are the same people who have depended on the state lottery to subsidize schools so they can spend your tax dollars on other pork projects. But I digress...

I say we are not gamblers but we are not opposed to designated a small amount of disposable income to simply throw it into the wind on the very unlikely chance that we could win something bright and shiny, like a quarter or a watch.So my wife is always going to this little convenience store that is also a Post Office to mail packages to our daughter, and we found this little machine that really was fun. If you think of a slot machine in that, if you put in a quarter (or an electronic bet) you get a play and when the mechanical thing is done, you either win something or lose. In our case, you lose. This little machine lets you throw in your money, but here you can see first hand how you are going to lose your money. There are two shelves that move back and forth. You toss your quarter into the slot and as it lands on the first moving shelf, it takes up space which in turn, moves the existing quarters. If one or more quarters on the first shelf are pushed onto the second shelf, the same thing happens; more room is needed and when a quarter or a prize on the second shelf falls, it goes into a little chute, and you win it!

Yes, I know; you are not ever going to win as much money as you put into it. But the same is true about the state lottery. I know this to be true. But I'm cool with that.