Dec
17
2011
Pinball Machines and Inflation
Author: siggyI used to be addicted to playing pinball machines. I would be coming home from collecting money from my paper route customers. It was 42 cents for a week of newspaper delivery and many of my customers would give me two quarters and tell me to keep the change so I often would have a pocket full of change, particularly quarters. Before I went home, I would often play pinball at the local candy store. That is what you called them back in those days. You know it was a long time ago. Playing a game of pinball only cost a quarter. And not only that you got five balls per game. Today one game costs 50 cents and you only get three balls. Inflation, indeed! Of course the days of five balls per game and a quarter each game go back almost fifty years. I am dating myself. I, also, remember when gasoline was 33 cents a gallon. All those days are long gone. Of course, those days you made a whole lot less a week. In 1970, I made an $100 a week and thought that was a lot. Then tickets to the Fillmore East were $3.50, $4.50 and $5.50. Those were the days.
