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I , FROM THE THE EDITOR EDITOR FROM Iflife life was was always always fair fair.. If ife does not always seem fair. If things go exife does not always seem fair. If things go exceptionally satisfactory, like winning the lotceptionally satisfactory, like winning the lottery, you feel that it's the way it should be, tery, you feel that it's the way it should be, L L and life is fair after all. But let the IRS audit and life is fair after all. But let the IRS audit you, find you underpaid by thousands of dolyou, find you underpaid by thousands of dollars, and now interest has accrued making it lars, and now interest has accrued making it a tidy sum, then you have confirmation that alife tidyis sum, then you have confirmation that not fair at all. The question we always life is not fair at all. The question we always seem to ask is, why me? seem to ask is, why me? When you belong to that exclusive group When you belong to that exclusive group called the coin machine business, you may called the coin machine business, you may ask that tiny question a lot more ask that tiny question a lot more than the average Joe. You're gothan the average Joe. You're going to ask yourself, why me? ing to ask yourself, why me? many times throughout your camany times throughout your career. When you see that hot new reer. When you see that hot new video game you just put out on video game you just put out on location is now popping up at the location is now popping up$54.95 at the local electronics storefor for local electronics store $54.95 for your customers home sysfor your customers home systems. When you go to your best tems. When you go to your best location, and they want your malocation, and they want your machines out-today. When the chines out-today. When the cashbox in nearly every game is cashbox in nearly every game is way too big for the actual money way too big for actual money it contains andtheyou you recall the it contains and recall the days that you needed even bigdays that you needed even bigger cashboxes. When the price of ger cashboxes. When pricethan of that new game coststhe more that new game costs more than your first house. your first house. Valerie There are many times thoughts of getting Valerie There are"club" manyrests timesheavy thoughts of getting Cog nevi ch out of the on your mind Cognevich out of the "club" rests heavy on your mind Editor because it seems that the negative far outEditor because it seems that the negative far outweighs the incontestable good. After you weighs theCoinman incontestable good. After you readthe the Coinman interviewininthis thisissue, issue, read interview you may cheer Jeff for being so open. But you cheer want Jeff for being sohim open. you may also might to chastise a bitBut for you also might want to chastise him a bit for painting such a negative portrait of being an painting such a negative portrait of being an operator today. Either way, that nagging operator Either that tongue: naggingIs question today. just begs to rollway, off your question just begs to roll off your tongue: Is that really us? that really us? There's always another side to every stoThere's always another side to every story Gust ask any divorce lawyer). While it's rywhy (just ask any divorce lawyer). While it's me? when games break down at midwhy me? when downit'sat never midfarthestbreak location, night at your games night at your farthest location, it's never when a game you got for a song becomes when a game you got for a song becomes your biggest earner! It's never when you your biggest earner! It's never when you take a chance on a wildly expensive game take a chance on a wildly expensive game andititturns turnsout outtotobe beaareally reallygood goodbuy. buy.It's It's and never when your distributor actually takes a never when your distributor actually takes a game on trade at a more than fair price. No, game a morebe, than fair price. No, this ison thetrade way at it should right? this My is the way it should be, right? husband has a talent for seeking (or at My husband has a talent for seeking (or at PLAYMETER METER PLAY 10 10 least finding) the negative if there is one in least finding) the negative if there is one in just about any situation. He dwells on things just any situation. He dwells things you wouldn't believe. If everon a person likeabout like you wouldn't believe. If ever a person could be an example of that saying, "The could be an example of that saying, "The grass is greener on the other side of the grass is greener on the other side of the fence," it would have to be Russell. He takes fence," it would have to be Russell. He takes heart.He Henever nevertakes takesinto intoconsideration consideration itittotoheart. that he doesn't know the whole story. that he doesn't know the whole story. There's always going to be someone doing There's always going to be someone doing better whether it's financial, healthwise, or better whether it's financial, healthwise, or whatever. However, instead of dwelling on whatever. However, instead of dwelling on it, rememberthe thefact factthat thatthere's there'salso alsosomesomeit, remember one in a much worse situation. one in a much worse situation. My husband perhaps learned this tough My husband perhaps learned this tough lesson last week when a good friend died of lesson last week when a good friend died of heartattack attackatatonly only 48. 48. Russell Russellcouldn't couldn't aaheart stop thinking about Charlie's life ending so stop thinking about Charlie's life ending so young. He thought about Charlie all weekyoung. He thought about Charlie all weekwasthe thesame sameweekend weekendthat thatwe wefound found end.ItItwas end. a broken hot water pipe in the worst possia broken hot water pipe in the worst possible place-under a concrete slab. ble place-under a concreteour slab. horrible luck luck As Russell Russell lamented lamented our As horrible lately (there's more but it's just too long of a lately (there's more but it's just too long of a story to relate here), especially this darn wastory to relate here), especially this darn water leak, he suddenly said, "At least I'm here ter leak, he suddenly said, "At least I'm here to have a broken water pipe! A broken watoterhave a broken water pipe! A broken wapipe would be small potatoes to Charlie ter pipe would be small potatoes to Charlie right now." Whoa! Russell's seen something right Russell's that now." some Whoa! never see: Life seen may something not be fair, that some never see: Life may not be fair, but it's interesting enough to want to be but it's interesting enough to want to be aroundtotodeal dealwith withit.it. around Our industry is often targeted for legislaOur industry is often targeted for legislative abuse and yes, we have to ask ourselves, tive abuse and yes, we have to ask ourselves, why us? But then, we know that the reason why us? But then, we know that the reason we're singled out way too often is because we're singled out way too often is because outsiders simply don't know the whole story. outsiders simply don't know the whole story. "Look at those guys just raking in all that "Look at those guys just raking in must all that cashfrom fromthose thosemachines. machines.They Theymust be cash be millionaires and don't have to pay a dime in millionaires and don't have to pay a dime in taxes!" seems to be the perception. They taxes!" seems to be the perception. They don't know the whole story, peppered with don't know the whole story, peppered with skyrocketing costs, rising overhead, stiffer skyrocketing costs, games, rising overhead, stiffer competition, fewer and fickle players. competition, fewer games, and fickle players. No, they don't know that to make it in this No, they don't know that to make it in this business you must work harder than you business you must work harder than you ever thought you'd have to work. everWhile thought have tobe work. longing to be a theyou'd public may While the public may be longing to be a part of the coin machine industry because it part of the coin machine industry because it lookslike likesuch suchan aneasy easyway waytotomake makelots lotsand and looks lots of money while using the extra time to lots of money while using the extra time to perfect your golf game, perhaps we're askperfect your golfquestion:"Why game, perhaps we're asking a different can't it be ing a different question:"Why can't it be them!" ~ them!" MAY 1998 MAY 1998