Unfiltered Story #128179

(A friend runs a mouse roulette, a common attraction on medieval markets in Germany. There are several houses on the side of a small playing field. Players select a charm and place it on one of the houses where they think the mouse will run into. When enough players join in, usually at least three, the mouse is placed in the middle and the players can try to lure the mouse by clapping their fingers to attract its attention. Everyone can keep the charm, and the winner also wins a small plush mouse. There are several terms for running attractions with animals, the mice are treated well and swapped regularly, so animal welfare is not a problem. A group of one man, two women, and four children approach the game on their own.)

Woman #1: “Hello, we want to play this game.”

Operator: “Sure, that will be 2€ per person that wants to play.”

Woman #1: “Two of us.”

([Woman #1] hands her 5€, operator collects the money, [Woman #2] hands her a 20€ note.)

Operator (to woman #2): For how many people are you paying?

Woman #1: Give me my change back!

Operator: Just one moment, let me collect the money first.

Woman #1: But I already paid for both of us, my friend didn’t notice.

Operator: Oh sorry, I didn’t realize that.

(Operator gives woman #1 back her change. The women start to pick a charm, one child tries selecting a charm too.)

Women #2: Hands off! This is not a childrens game.

Child #1: But I want to play too!

Operator: Actually, this game is mostly played by children.

Woman #2: I know, I don’t care!

Child #2: Can I play?

Woman #1: No, shut up!

Operator (to the other two children, assuming they belong to the man): What about you, do you want to join in? We could use a few more players.

Woman #1: No, I already said they are not allowed to!

Operator: I know, I was addressing the other two children.

Woman #1: They are ours too! I am so glad we had this conversation.

Woman #2: Can’t you join in yourself?

Operator (irritated and not wanting to spend more time with the two women, thus not waiting for more players): It doesn’t work that way. Let’s just start the game then. You can clap your fingers to attract the attention of the mouse so it goes into the house you selected.

Woman #2: Wow, that’s stupid! Let’s get this over with.

(Operator gets out the mouse and proceeds to place it in the middle.)

Woman #1: Ewww, a real mouse! How nasty!

(They proceed to watch the mouse anyway, without clapping their fingers, which the children do instead.)

Woman #1: Stop it, you’re not playing!

(The mouse is given three attempts to run into a house one of the players selected. Usually that’s enough to select a winner, sometimes the mouse is given more attempts so the children are not disappointed, and if the round is over quickly, a second place is usually determined, since most people enjoy seeing the mouse the most. A game usually takes around two minutes, on this occasion, the mouse quickly runs from one house to another, visiting three different houses within 20 seconds, which neither of the women selected.)

Operator: Oh, I’m sorry, but it looks like the mouse didn’t select the right house, so there is no winner! (She proceeds to put the mouse away again.)

Woman #2: Fine. Let’s go.

Operator: Goodbye and have fun on the market!

(The group leaves.)

Operator (to me): What the hell was that? I didn’t even ask them to play! And those poor children!