thin king

Hello to all,


Making Money without Sweat

Money is a thing, a thing that can be used to buy other things,
almost anything. How wonderful money is! Naturally, everybody
wants money. There are mountains and oceans of money, and
there are many ways to get this money.

Some people work and get paid for it. Some exchange things for
it, some are given it, and there are others who just take it from
others, by stealth or by force. There are still others who fish for it.

Of all these many ways, fishing is most interesting, also subtle.
Fishing is really a confidence trickster's ploy. Although the modus
operandi varies, the ploy is basically the same; offer a bait and
get the sucker.

One favourite simple scheme is the three cones and a ball setup.
The operator usually has a few accomplices. Their business desk
is a small table about two feet square with foldable legs, very light
and portable. Their tools consist of three cones and a small rubber
ball, less than half an inch in diameter, usually the discard of a
well used pencil eraser. The operator's usual haunt is the by-ways
where many people pass by slowly, looking at things, like the
Sungei Road of old in Singapore.

The operator would first put the ball on the table, place a cone over
it and shuffle the three cones about. He would attract the attention
of the passers-by who would then stop and watch. Then, he would
invite the onlookers to guess where the ball was, which would not
be difficult. After a few times, he would invite the onlookers to bet,
paying an attractive 2 to 1 odds. A few people would bet, winning
or losing accordingly. This would go on, seemingly easy to track
the position of the ball under the cone.

Somehow, an occasion would arise when the operator would be
distracted; he would turn around to talk to someone, leaving the
ball visibly stuck under the rim of the cone, himself unaware of it.
One of the bettors would quickly push the ball inside the cone
and place all his money beside it, betting on that. He would also
encourage all the other people around to join in. This was a sure
win opportunity, and many onlookers would be tempted and joined
him, betting as he had done. Then the operator's attention would
be drawn back to the business. And as usual, he would check
whether anybody else who has not betted want to do so. Having
done that, he would topple all the three cones to reveal the ball.
And to the shock surprise of everyone, the ball would not be where
it was last seen to be. So, openly and clearly, after everyone had
seen the result, the operator swept all the bets, while everyone
would be wondering about the impossibility of it all. They had all
seen with their own eyes where the ball was!

Then, like it happened always, a shout "Police come, police come"
would be heard. And in an instant, the three cones got stacked into
one, the table got folded easily, and the operator and his helpers
scooted, leaving the losers in a real daze, scanning for the police
and not knowing what was happening. And once again, those who
wanted to take advantage of others on a sure win situation ended
up being taken advantage of, likewise, and not getting any wiser.

There is a well known saying,
"This fish would not be caught if it had not opened its mouth!"

Die dulci freure.
Ronald