I’ve been to two different Costa Coffee’s this week and in both I saw the same challenge set forward- “Balance a 20p on a lemon, get a free coffee”. It was for charity and I thought it made a nice change from just having a little pot for donations. You should give to charity anyway, but it’s always a bit more appealing when you get something out of it too.
Next to the sign was a lemon floating in a large mug of water, a couple of 20p pieces at the bottom. I had a few in my pocket and figuring I’d do a good deed and maybe win a free coffee I decided to have a few goes, it might be a bit tricky but with a steady hand and some logic, how hard could it be?
My first attempt was a disaster. I dropped it from a little too high and this meant that the whole lemon bounced in the water and it went right in the drink.
For the second attempt I waited for it to stop bobbing about and decided to softly lie it down on the fruit. No dice, it slid off.
The third went the same way.
I was about to dig into my pocket for more change, but luckily I was snapped out of it by having to order.
A couple of days later at a different Costa in a different town they too had a lemon floating in water.
I only had one single twenty pence left, but I slowly tried to slide it onto the surface of the peel.
SPLOOSH!
Right into the water.
I knew the chances of doing it were slim but I’d had to try. It’s the old gambler’s folly- “I know I probably won’t win, but what if?”.
I began to wonder if it was even possible, apparently it is.
The fact is despite knowing that it’s really hard if I was to see a lemon in water on my next visit I’d have another pop.
I could probably find that some kid’s show or internet nerd has done a video showing how to do it, but that would be cheating. And defeat what is the major draw of this challenge.
It’s not the free coffee, although that would be nice.
It’s the fact that I really want to prove I can balance a 20p on a stupid lemon. I know I shouldn’t care, I know I should accept that most people would fail, but I want to be one of the few who succeeds. If I’d managed it I’d have walked out with a smug grin on my face and that little victory would have carried me through the day.
That’s the genius of this kind of fundraiser, first it capitalizes on people’s desire to get something in return and then it hits that gambler zone of making you want to just keep playing, because you’re bound to win sooner or later, aren’t you? But the third stage is the real killer. You’re about to walk away when you feel a slight sting. That’s pride messing with you.
You feel you should be able to do it. You’re a smart guy, you can figure this out. And splash, there’s another 20p at the bottom of the mug.
Those charity guys are sneaky, but we’ll see who has the last laugh when I finally get that free coffee.
Any thoughts? You know what to do. BETEO.
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