I've done my good deed to keep comics alive!!

[Ze-man]

I have not had the chance to give away comic books yet,

But I did give away a 18 inch plush stuffed BATMAN I won at a Carnival.

It was a game called

 

Mouse Bingo

 

you put a quarter down on a number you think will win, and they let a mouse go in a large clear box full of holes with numbers on them.

Well my quarter won.. and I got to pic fromamong all the glittering prizes haging overhead.

 

I spotted a really kewl large Batman Stuffed toy, and told the man that was my choice.( I was actually surprised at the quality of the item)

My wife thought I was daft.. when for the rest our our tour of the carnival I was giddy with my newfound toy..(and her parents thought me even battier)

But as we were heading out to the car, I spotted a boy crying with his mom, and overheard her telling him that sometime we all cant win everytime, and that the ping ball goldfish game he tried might not have been exactly fair.

 

I knew I had to make a choice, so I look at Bats.. and told him he now had a purpose in life, I walked over to them with Batty behind my back.

, and I asked the boy if he liked Batman. His loooked up at me , and said "You bet!"

 

I brought out the large stuffed toy. told him I was lucky enough to win it , and wanted him to have it, his jaw hit the floor, he wiped the tears from his eyes, and took it gingerly, like I might take it away.

Then was all smiles

His mom, mouthed "Thank You", and I got a hug from the boy.

As I walked away I knew I had done the right thing..

But I miss my stuffed toy, and even today wonder if he is even in 1 piece.

 

Z

[Red Hook]

Was that the same Batman plush doll that went on E-Bay the other day for $457.00, sold by Indiana-based seller ifooledzeman?

[Darthdiesel]

But as we were heading out to the car, I spotted a boy crying with his mom, and overheard her telling him that sometime we all cant win everytime, and that the ping ball goldfish game he tried might not have been exactly fair...

 

As charitable as your deed was, you are only reinforcing the entitlement attitude in today's generation. Kids nowadays feel like they are owed something andgrow up into adults who buck the system to get what "they are owed" instead of earning it. Growing up, I recall only the star players on a team that excelled and contributed to the success of the team got trophies. Nowadays, your parents pay a registration fee and you get a trpghy even if you don't show up for any games, practices, or events

 

Sometimes kids need to learn lessons the hard way

[Red Hook]

I hear what you're saying Darth, but in this instance, I think Zeman's action falls more into the category of "random act of kindness" which, although it makes my teeth chatter when I see it on a bumper sticker, is something we don't see enough of. In this case, IMO, Zeman did a good deed. Maybe it will fire off a brain cell in the kid to do something like that in future.....ie pass it on. It's that unexpected act that remains in the memory, or so I like to think.

 

I did the whole AYSO thing with my girls, and I think that for grade school kids, the "everyone's a winner" mentality is ok. Later, in junior high and high school and beyond, the tough lessons come in fast enough.

 

These days, its an achievement for a kid to get off his or her duff and be a participant, as opposed to being a card carrying member of the "Please Entertain Me" generation. Sad but true.

[Red Hook]

By the way, just in case it might seem I am against competition, I'll post a couple of my favorite quotes from one of the most gifted American middle distance runners of all time, Steve Prefontaine, who died at the age of 24 in 1975.....

 

 

Great Quotes from a Great Runner.

 

"A lot of people run a race to see who is fastest. I run to see who has the most guts, who can punish himself into exhausting pace, and then at the end, punish himself even more. Nobody is going to win a 5,000 meter race after running an easy 2 miles. Not with me. If I lose forcing the pace all the way, well, at least I can live with myself."

 

"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the Gift."

 

"What I want is to be number one."

 

"Somebody may beat me, but they are going to have to bleed to do it."

 

"I'm going to work so that it's a pure guts race at the end, and if it is, I am the only one who can win it."

 

"You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement."

[Ze-man]

Was that the same Batman plush doll that went on E-Bay the other day for $457.00, sold by Indiana-based seller ifooledzeman?

 

 

It better not be!!!!!!!!!

 

If I gave up my plush doll, only to have that kid sell it.. ohhh..

,

 

I think I can remember what that kid looked like.Age him a year... with computer software, pay an P.I.

 

If I spend a few thousand dollars I might be able to track him down after a few years searching,,..

[Apotheosis]

While were on the topic of giving comics... I have a long box full of comics that I have no interest in and can't seem to sell on ebay. I'm considering just donating it to some place that deals with kids. Anybody have any clue where the best place to do that would be?

[Ze-man]

Well first off Darth , I completely agree with what you said.

 

Just ask my wife, we both cannot stand the "everyones a winner" mentality today.

This is rampant around our local schools and baseball yards.

I have personally seen pee wee games where they let every kid get a hit no matter how many strikes it takes,.or not to make an out on s kid that hasnt scored yet

I could go on and on about this, drives me freaking nuts.

 

I remember as a kid not doing well,, losing a track race......

and getting upset, and learning, and thinking to myself...

"well then , guess I better try harder next time huh"

And then next race I learned from the last loss, and did better.

Todays kids are spoonfed this Barney mentality too much, I am all for teaching kids kindness, charity, and sportsmanship.,

But once they grow up and relalize that we all cant win everytime, how dis -allusioned are they gonna be then.

 

Anyhow, I see the point you made Darth, and it was a good one, but what I might not have elaborated on in my post, was I overheard the mom telling /explaining to her son, that Carnival games are not fair, they cheat, and make it so it is impossible to win.

This is what made my ginch heart grew 3 sizes...

The look on the kids face when he realized that some one might actually not play fair, and rig a game so you had no chance of winning was something he never thought of before.

 

So yes, like Red pointed out , I did what I did in the spirit of, RAOK, or a pay it foward type of thing.

And hope that perhaps he might remember the guy who gave him a Batman doll, and he might later in life, or later that day, do something nice to someone else.

 

And Redhook, Prefontaine was my hero.. him and Banister.. I have read many books about Pre, and recently saw the movie that came out a few years back.

That guy was a maverick, a hero, and a true american icon if you ask me.

 

Well anyhow, gota run.

I am going to the

PACERS GAME.

Bye

[Darthdiesel]

I hear what you're saying Darth, but in this instance, I think Zeman's...

 

Psst me too...I was just busting Z's chops...I would have done the same thing after I made sure the I put a black marker 'X" on the Batbutt to make sure this kid wasn't a saavy eBay flipper playing on my sympathies

[Darthdiesel]

You did a good thing, bro just ranting for the heck of it! Now off to pick on BassG a bit

[towards2112]

Bad darth, bad

[Darthdiesel]

I overheard the mom telling /explaining to her son, that Carnival games are not fair, they cheat, and make it so it is impossible to win.

 

More rationalizing and placing the blame...just tell the kid he sucks and get the hard lesson over with...no need to blame the hard working honest carny folk...

 

(once again, tongu firmly in cheek... )

[Ze-man]

I overheard the mom telling /explaining to her son, that Carnival games are not fair, they cheat, and make it so it is impossible to win.

 

More rationalizing and placing the blame...just tell the kid he sucks and get the hard lesson over with...no need to blame the hard working honest carny folk...

 

(once again, tongu firmly in cheek... )

 

, no offense taken Darth..

You gonna have to come at me harder then that to ruffle my tail feathers!.

And besides you cant [!@#%^&^] me off today anyhow..

Just got back from Pacers/Boston game..

We whupped um.. by 22 points was awesome fun.

 

 

Was the middle of the afternoon, I had 3 beers in me and my team was kikin but.. what could be better?

 

Well I guess they coulda gave out a CGC comic as a givaway, instead of the rally towel I got.

 

But me being the begger, could not be choosey.

 

 

And I bet your right Darth the kid and his mom were prolly walking back to their mini van , having a good laugh... while they threw yet another stuffed toy into the back seat and saying..

"Man did you see that guy mom?? he bought the whole story.. what a nimrod"

And mom says.. " I know son.. and those tears!! that was a nice touch..son, thats 5 Batman toys today"

 

Carnies/Grifters

I cant trust anyobody anymore.