LogFAQs > #967987413

With the new flat plexiglass and the pressure of choking in front of a girlfriend in the past before, I almost just walked us past the game. I didn't wanna deal with that again.

There were three motivating factors happening in the moment though that made me push forward:

1) There was another couple there tonight who was already playing, and the guy kept paying turn after turn to try again and kept losing money. There was a chance of seeing me as that guy again -- and I did, I know that story -- but I also remembered I have worked on myself and am not that man anymore. I saw a mirror with a less trained man than I knew I was today.

2) I didn't like the person running the game. That's harsh really and he was nice when we won, right...but he said "aaaawwww" a few times when people missed...and it sounded less supporting and more condescending, like "AAAaaawwwWWW-wuh." It felt like it was mocking that guy losing his money and I didn't like that.

3) Same guy couldn't stand the bottle very well. I got to watch him a few times and that helped solidify the new strategy.

So, with those in-the-moment thoughts running wilder than Hulkamania, I gave him a twenty and told him to give me fifteen dollars back.

This enters the haggling portion of the evening. This dude on the referee's shirt says he's give me five tries for twenty dollars, trying to keep my money. I bet on myself instead and say no, but I'll do three for ten. He resists, then gives me three fives back. No deal -- by the books.

I try and I messed up. I didn't really get how much I needed to adjust the bottle to get the tilt.

I tell him I want to play again, with the girlfriend asking if I'm sure I wanna play again -- yes ma'am, I do. Ref-man offers the same deal -- five tries for $20. I push back again -- three tries for $10. He declined again, then talks that shit about how it could be $4 a try instead of $5 if I'd just invest up front. I paid him $5 for a second try.

Ya know what, go ahead and add #4: he treated players like already-losers just itching to lose their money instead of about-to-be-winners thinking they were about to win a gamble. I don't respect it.

I learned today it is very hard to both move the bottle close to the edge of the platform and trust the the platform tilt doesn't the make it fall off. I work on this part for about three minutes, feeling very silly about it...but eventually it tilts kinda-sorta-enough and I decided to go for it.

I got it. Second try.