Come on Down

When I was a kid, my favorite thing about sick days was that one glorious hour of daytime television - "The Price is Right". I loved everything the show had to offer. I loved when they would call contestants down to play. I loved the person who always guessed one dollar more than the person before him. I loved the games like Hi-Lo and Cliffhangers (who didn't love the yodling mountain climber?) and I can't even begin to express my love for Plinko for fear my head would explode from the joy that game brought me. I loved the big wheel the contestants spun. And then there was the Showcase Showdown. The best part of it all was those few moments of anticipation before the contestants found out what prize they were playing for. You always knew it was going to be a good prize if Bob teased for a little while.

Bob Barker: So Joe, where are you from?

Contestant Joe: Minot, North Dakota

Bob: And what do you do in Minot, Joe?

Joe: I'm in college.

Bob: Oh, is that right?

Joe: Yep.

Bob: Bet the winter is tough in Minot, right Joe?

Joe: Oh yeah Bob, it gets pretty cold up there.

Bob: I bet. Well wouldn't it be nice to go to class next winter and stay warm in....

A BRAND NEW CAR?!?!

And then Joe would totally lose his shit because, hell yes it would be nice to stay warm in a brand new car! And the audience would be screaming and Joe would probably hug Bob really hard and Bob would be a little uncomfortable but make a joke about saving the hugs until after he won. And so Joe, if he was lucky, would play Plinko for the BRAND NEW CAR! and if he was really lucky, he'd win. And then he go bat-shit crazy and practically tackle Bob who again would laugh but deep down he wanted to beat Joe to a blood pulp with that long microphone he always held. But Joe would be so thrilled that he'd continue to jump around and hug Bob until they cut to commercial. And I would be in my living room screaming and jumping up and down for Joe because I couldn't imagine anything better than a BRAND NEW CAR!

There's a point to all of this, I swear.

Ok, so no one told me to "Come on Down!" and there was no Bob Barker and I didn't get to play Plinko and it certainly wasn't free but...

...guess who got herself a new car?