Family Daze: The winning of a priceless ‘Best Friend’ necklace

Like most parents I know that spending quality time with my children is essential for healthy family bonding. However, when my husband suggested we visit a local pizza parlour with arcade rides and Skeeball, a game where we could try to win tickets to trade in for cheap, plastic prizes, I was doubtful it would have an affect on anything but our budget.

As soon as we arrived, we ordered our pizza and bought ten dollars worth of quarters. We wandered over to a vacant Skeeball game and my husband slid a quarter into the slot. We watched as the balls rolled down the chute.

"Cool!" my six-year old daughter said.

"Roll the balls up the alley," my husband explained as my children began, "and try to get them through one of the numbered rings at the top."

My children nodded. My daughter picked up the first one, flung her arm back, and pitched it into the protective netting above the game.

"Let me show you," my husband said. He grabbed the next ball, closed one eye like a military sharpshooter, and rolled it into the gutter next to the alley.

Then my three-year old son grabbed the next ball and heaved it up the alley and into the ten-point ring.

"Yay!" My children cried as a ticket finally popped out.

"What could we get with one ticket, Mommy?" my daughter asked.

"A piece of pencil lead," I said. "Keep playing."

By the time we finished our pizza, we had spent twenty-five dollars and earned three tickets. My husband eagerly guided us to the prize case.

"What can I get with three tickets?" my daughter asked.

I pointed to the erasers and plastic jewelry on the bottom shelf, hoping she’d make up her mind fast so we could cut our loses and go home.

She furrowed her brow as she considered the other prizes. "Okay. I’ll take the red heart necklace."

The attendant handed her a cheap, plastic heart necklace with the words "my best friend" on the front. It was cut in half with each part on separate red string.

My daughter put both halves around her neck. "Mommy, why do I have two necklaces?"

"So you can give one half to your best friend," I said, trying to be patient.

She thought about this for a moment.

"I know who!" she cried.

"Tell me later," I snapped. "I have a headache."

She didn’t mention any more about it. So, as we drove home in the quiet car, I leaned back in the seat to take a nap.

My husband nudged me awake when we pulled into the driveway, and I was surprised when I felt a string tugging on my neck. When I looked down I saw half of the heart necklace lying on my chest. The other half hung around my daughter’s neck. I smiled and put my arms around her shoulders — then my best friend and I walked into the house together.

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