Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Where there's a will, there's a way

If you think stories of China's booming economy, America's blossoming debt, and the approaching apocalypse that is Iraq, here's a story to remind you that when Americans--of any age--put their mind to something, it's just going to happen.

Cliff's Notes version:

3 year old boy not willing to settle for one toy from the retracto-claw machine at an Austin, Minn. Godfather's Pizza (Who knew they even still existed!??), instead CRAWLS INTO the machine so he can play with all of them. Really. There are pictures!


Keep in mind, this child received no special training or coaching, and was likely only vaguely supervised by his parents. Some would term this to be poor parenting. I call this the miracle of American Initiative. The greatness of Capitalism. A victory for human imagination and seizing the moment.

Good, rule-following, law abiding children--the ones afraid of or unwilling to innovate (like me)--would have simply pulled on Dad's pant-leg for a quarter. Then not gotten the toy, and repeated the process for about $1.25 in quarters until Dad finally told me, "No more. I'm out of quarters." At which point I would have been crestfallen at showing myself a failure--unable to master a simple 2-button machine.

Not this 3-year-old. He saw an entire basket full of toys. Probably reminiscent of a laundry basket full of toys. Or a toy chest--because what self-respecting 3-year-old doesn't have a toy chest to climb in (and subsequently launch toys all over the room from!)? So he just climbed in!

Kiddo, you're a great American and an inspiration to us all!

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