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Ff ROM ROM THE EDITOR Not my my little little boy boy Not I there's one one thing thing parents parents have have in in memory-a memory-a 430-cubic-inch 430-cubic-inch Lincoln Lincoln ff there's common, it's that they love their engine with way too much power. common, it's that they love their engine with way too much power. kids. We We love love them them so so much much that that we we Anyway, Anyway, Russell Russell backs backs the the car car up up at at kids. view everything they do through those about 40 miles per hour and slams the view everything they do through those about 40 miles per hour and slams the special "parent" "parent" eyes. eyes. You You know know the the gear gear shift shift from from reverse reverse to to drive drive while while special ones II mean: mean: the the ones ones that that could could never, never, ones not even even for for aa minute, minute, believe believe that that our our not offspring could could do do wrong. wrong. And And even even if if offspring they do, it's definitely not their fault. they do, it's definitely not their fault. Wetend tendto tobelieve believethat thatmitigating mitigatingcircirWe cumstances must have been in play at cumstances must have been in play at the time time of of the the transgression. transgression. What What it it the boils down down to to is is that that we we make make excuses excuses boils forthose thoselittle littlerascals. rascals.My Mymother-in-law mother-in-law for theultimate ultimateexample examplein inthis thisarea. area.First First isisthe let me explain that she is the most let me explain that she is the most wonderful person person who who ever ever lived. lived. She She wonderful not only raised six children, but took not only raised six children, but took eachof oftheir theirspouses spousesinto intoher herheart heartlike like each theywere wereher herown. own. She Shealways alwayssees seesthe the they good in everyone and I've never heard good in everyone and I've never heard her talk talk bad bad about about anyone. anyone. her Her special parent eyes worked worked overoverHer special parent eyes time when when it it came came to to my my husband husband time Russell,probably probablyher herwildest wildestchild. child. One One Russell, of Russell's Russell's friends friends told told me me about about the the of timeaapoliceman policemancame cameto tothe the door doorlooklooktime ing for for him him but but changed changed his his mind mind after after ing confronting my my mother-in-law. mother-in-law. The The confronting neighbors still remember seeing her neighbors still remember seeing her with one one child child or or the the other other marching marching with over to to the the school school to to talk talk with with the the over teacher. teacher. Ironically,today today Russell Russellis is just justlike like his his Ironically, mother. He He is is aa wonderful, wonderful, caring caring perpermother. son, who whois is as as apt apt to to look look at at the the good goodin in son, everyone. He credits his mother for everyone. He credits his mother for believing in in him-or him- orjust just believing believing him him believing no matter how the evidence looked. no matter how the evidence looked. Here'sone oneexample exampleofofhow howtalented talentedmy my Here's mother-in-law was at making excuses mother-in-law was at making excuses for the the kids: kids: for Last week weekwe we were were sitting sitting around aroundmy my Last mother-in-law's kitchen kitchen table table talking talking mother-in-law's about when when we we were were teenagers. teenagers. Up Up about came the story of the spun drive shaft. In came the story of the spun drive shaft. In his younger younger days, days, Russell Russell was was driving driving his his mother's mother's 1960 1960Mercury Mercury(drag (dragracing racing his was probably probably more more like like it!). it!l. IfIfyou youdon't don't was recall those dinosaurs, I'll refresh your recall those dinosaurs, I'll refresh your PLAYMETER METER PLAY 10 10 OCTOBER1992 1992 OCTOBER stomping on on the the accelerator. accelerator. The The drive drive stomping shaft was was twisted twistedlike like aa limp limp dish dish rag. rag. shaft Althoughthat thatwas was about about30 30years years ago ago Although and Russell admits that he may have and Russell admits that he may have played aa small smallpart part in inthe the demise demise of ofthe the played drive shaft, what does his mother say drive shaft, what does his mother say aboutit? it?"I "Ijust justknow knowthat thatititwas was aa defecdefecabout tive drive drive shaft shaft from from the the factory. factory. We We tive shouldhave havetaken takenititback backto tothe thedealer!" dealer!" should Her other other son, son, Curtis, Curtis, borrowed borrowed her her Her car one day. When she used it the next car one day. When she used it the next time she sheran ranout out of ofgas gas while whilebacking backing out out time of the driveway. While we all cursed of the driveway. While we all cursed Curtis for for being being so so irresponsible, irresponsible, she she Curtis simplyexplained explainedthat thatthe thegas gasgauge gaugewas was simply probably acting actingup up and andhe he didn't didn'trealize realize probably howlittle littlegas gasthere there was wasin inthe the car. car. LuckiLuckihow ly, though, that gas gauge never did act ly, though, that gas gauge never did act up again. again. up Evenat at44 44years years old, old, her herboys boys are are still still Even her boys. Things will never change. I'm her boys. Things will never change. I'm proudto to be be one one of ofher her extended extendedfamily. family. proud I'mnot notperfect. perfect. IIknow knowthat that she sheknows knowsit, it, I'm too. But But she she loves loves me me and and no no matter matter too. what II do, do, she shewill willbe bethere there encouraging encouraging what me and andtelling telling me me how how wonderful wonderful II am. am. me She will be doing the same thing for her She will be doing the same thing for her kids, their their wives, wives, their their husbands, husbands, her her kids, grandchildren, and and even even aa few few others others grandchildren, who still still show show up up on on the the doorstep doorstep for for a a who pat on on the the back back and and aa few few kind kind words. words. pat Thosein inthe the coin-op coin-opindustry industryhave have our our Those ownspecial special"industry" "industry"eyes. eyes.We Welove lovethe the own coin machine business and have no coin machine business and have no doubt that thatit's it's aa great great industry industry to to be be in. in. doubt We hear derogatory remarks and imWe hear derogatory remarks and immediately come come to to its its defense. defense. Oh, Oh, we we mediately know it's far from perfect and we'll even know it's far from perfect and we'll even talkabout aboutitit among amongourselves. ourselves.But But don't don't talk let anyone anyone else else say say it. it. let There are are aanumber numberof ofstates statesweighing weighing There the pros pros and and cons cons of of adopting adopting aa video video the poker law. Unfortunately, Oregon passpoker law. Unfortunately, Oregon passed aa law law that that bypassed bypassed operators. operators. The The ed coin-op industry was devastated and coin-op industry was devastated and outraged. We We know know that that operators operators are are outraged. the perfect, most logical choice to run the perfect, most logical choice to run this type type of of equipment. equipment. But But the people this the people passing these these laws laws aren't aren't our our parents. parents. passing They aren't aren'tlooking lookingat atthe theindustry industrywith with They thosespecial specialeyes. eyes. They are only onlylooking looking . those They are atone onething: thing:getting gettingas as much muchmoney moneyfor for at the state. state. the Andalthough althoughwe we are arehesitant hesitantto to admit admit And it, there there are are those those operators operators that that don't don't it, lendmuch muchto tothe the already alreadyfragile fragile image. image. lend We tolerate toleratethem them because because we we know know that that We they aren't aren't the the typical typical operators. operators. You You they know the the ones ones II mean; mean; no no further further know elaborationis is needed. needed.We We saw saw an aninflux influx elaboration of operators who didn't know a coin of operators who didn't know a coin chute from from aa joystick joystick getting getting into into the the chute businessduring duringthe thevideo videoboom. boom.Where Where business are most most of ofthem them now? now? Selling Selling cellular cellular are phones,perhaps? perhaps? The Thepoint pointis isthat thatthey they phones, weren't really a part of the industry in weren't really a part of the industry in every sense sense of ofthe the word; word;they they simply simplysaw saw every as aa way way to to make make aa quick quick buck. buck. itit as Thesepeople, people,though, though,had had an aneffect effect on on These the rest rest of of the the industry industry because because to to the the the outside world, world, they they were were the the industry. industry. outside We have have to to be be realistic realistic about about how how we we We are perceived. We all need to work a litare perceived. We all need to work a littleharder harder to to make make sure sure the the industry industry is is tle not considered a bad child. Maybe a litnot considered a bad child. Maybe a littlediscipline disciplineisisneeded. needed. When Whenlegislators legislators tle are making video lottery decisions, they are making video lottery decisions, they don't owe owe operators operators anything. anything. However, However, don't theindustry industryshould shouldhave have already already made made the it clear clear that that having having operators operators involved involved it will be be an an added addedbenefit benefit toward towardthe the sucsucwill cess of video lottery. cess of video lottery. Not only only video video lottery; lottery; coin-operated coin-operated Not entertainment is our specialty. There's entertainment is our specialty. There's ofgood goodin inthis thisindustry. industry. Let's Let's wholelot lotof aa whole take a critical look at ourselves and take a critical look at ourselves and strive to to make make sure sure that that we we are are aa child child strive that parents parents don't don't have have to to constantly constantly that make excuses for. 0 make excuses for. Valerie Cogneich Valerie Cognevich Cognevich Valerie Editor Editor