Tobey: Lucky day #2

In Tom's family, we call Tom "Golden Boy" because he has a knack for winning any game that we all play. Whether it's one of skill or of luck, somehow Tom always wins.

I think that golden gene has been passed down to Tobey. (Poor Eli.)

Ever since his first lucky day when he got a blue superball from a Toys R Us vending machine without putting in any money, Tobey's been saying that maybe he can get another blue ball from Toys R Us without putting in any money. I kept warning him, so as not to leave him disappointed, that his first blue ball was special, but that those things don't happen all the time. They only happen once in a while, if you're lucky.

So we're at Toys R Us again to get a birthday present and while I'm checking out, Tobey checks all the vending machines again. This time he's in the row of candy machines when I get to the door. Instead of demanding he leave now, I exhibit some patience and say that he can finishing checking the row and then we get in the car. Wouldn't you know it, on the last machine of that row...

...crrrraaackkk...kaching..........

Three minty squares of chewing gum come flying out the metal chute.

Tobey got so excited and I couldn't believe it. He doesn't even know what chewing gum is but I let him keep it as a momento of yet another lucky day. When we got home I think Tom initially thought that in a moment of parenting weakness, I let our child buy candy at Toys R Us until he realized that Tobey got lucky AGAIN.

It'll be hard to convince Tobey that it might not happen again. Then again, maybe if it's kids that are trying to operate these machines and accidentally leave their quarters behind, then Tobey's odds are pretty good. I sure hope this lucky streak doesn't mean that in 70 years, Tobey's hopping on a bus to Reno to play slots because he still believes he has a golden boy gene.