A while back I stumbled across something I hadn’t seen in years.
OK, decades.
The Fortune Teller Miracle Fish. Remember those?
And I couldn’t even tell you where we used to get these red plastic fish from, either, or whether we believed in them or not. But I do remember them.
Here’s how it works:
You place this paper-thin fish in the palm of your hand and its movements will indicate your mental state. Jealousy, indifferent, romantic — the fish knows.
Supposedly, the fish is made from sodium polyacrylate that will grab onto whatever water molecules it touches, thereby changing its shape.
I don’t know if this means I’m in love or passionate — or crazy to believe either! At the every least, it was a fun trip down memory lane.
Now all I need is a set of Chinese jacks and I’m good to go!
16 Comments
I do remember them from small kid time. I really believed that it was telling me my fortune. I didn’t play Chinese jacks, but I played bean bags. Thanks for bringing back some great memories.
You’re welcome! I was thinking about ordering a bunch of these for a Christmas party. Wonder if there’s a site with all sorts of old games and tricks…
How weirdly coincidental…a friend at work just gave me one of these a couple of weeks ago. I had never seen these growing up. My friend said she got them from Amazon of all places….
Yep, for $6!
CAT: Haven’t seen one of those since I was a kid…that was when Dairyman’s delivered milk to the house.
OK, that’s oooooooooold. LOL
This is really old. Older than me. Still looking for mate at 70! Curling sides.
Is it? I couldn’t figure out how old these were…
Hi Cat, growing up overseas, I’ve never seen these before. That is cool. When kid time, we played the Japanese version of pogs called “menko”, marbles “bee-dama”, and flat marbles called “ohajiki”. And what are Chinese Jacks? How are they different from regular jacks?
Menko? I gotta look that up! I remember ohajiki. I had some but never knew how to play with them. Chinese jacks are very different — the whole game is different and there’s no bouncing ball!
i think there was a magic/novelty store around ft. street mall where we used to get these. maybe it was an item at king fort magazine shop. kinda hazy right now, but i def. remember ft. street mall and these fish connected somehow.
Was that the name of the magic shop at Alakea??
Hi Cat:
I believe the name of the magic shop on Alakea Street was called “The Magic And Novelty Center”. I may be wrong because it was so long ago, but I think it was originally owned by Jimmy “Tengu The Magician” Yoshida and later by Ruth Hirokawa, the mother of illusionist John Hirokawa.
OooooOOoOo! Thanks for writing back! I haven’t thought of that place in EONS! I went there as a kid. Bought things like “Morning Glory” — stink cologne — and gum that turned your tongue black. Ah, the memories!
That fish is accurate as my 8 ball fortune teller and ouija board.
LOL, true that!