At the beginning of the show, the contestant picks one briefcase he/she believes containing one million dollars. In comparison to real life, it is like marriage. Most of us choose someone to marry because we love the person and believe that he/she is the right partner who we would spend our entire life together in rich and in poor, through good and bad times, until death do us part.
Next, the contestant begins to randomly select six briefcases. As each briefcase is opened, the contestant and their support group of 3 people who are family members or close friends, and the audience (I am included) either celebrate if the amount is small (on the left side of the column) or become discouraged if the amount is in the six-figures (the amounts on the right side of the column are $100,000 or higher).
One contestant was so unlucky that the first briefcase he picked contained the 1 million dollars. After all six briefcases are open, the unseen banker would offer an amount to the contestant. At this early stage, the contestant usually turned down the offer by answering "No Deal" or just slam the cover over the red blinking button because the amount is very low.
In real life it would be like dating. You never know the person would like you enough to go on a second date or you can't stand the person that you could not wait for the date to end. Or the job offer that you turned down because after you were introduced to the manager, you know you could not work with him/her.
Next the contestant will open 5 more cases. If the large amounts are in place, then the offer will go up. Mr. Mandel will ask the contestant "Deal or No Deal". If the answer is "No Deal" then, the contestant will open 3 more cases. A higher offer is made if the 3 opened cases contain small amounts.
In real life, this is when we made major decisions such as accepting job transfer that require moving to another state or to go back to school. The last three years, I have been a regular customer of Stoner Dry Cleaner. I always try to have singles and exact change when I pick up my clothes. Last week I was informed that the owner sold the business and would be going back to school to obtain his degree in electrical engineering. I was assured that the services will be the same high level. I told Mr. Stoner that I admire his will for higher education and wish him luck in his future.
The show usually ends with the contestant either accept the offer when he/she, at the encouragement of the family and the audience, feels that the amount is high enough. Some people will leave with a few hundred dollars while others willing to take a risk and could be lucky to walk away with half a million dollars. I have not seen anyone won a million dollars yet.
Like the people in the audience, I become involved and got very nervous when the contestant picked a briefcase that contained large amount. The contestants are very emotional, crying, dancing, jumping, running around the stage, rushing to hug their family members or hugging the host, "Howie".
The show in some ways is the way our lives unfolding in the daily tasks and in the decisions we make. The briefcases represent the awards we receive or the unexpected problems in the choices we selected. When we accept or reject an offer, whether a date, a job or friendship, we say "Deal or No Deal" without knowing what will happen next.
We base our decisions on our experiences or the knowledge what could be. Sometimes we have regrets and wish we could turn back the clock or given another chance. In the end, we each select one briefcase, until we open all the other briefcases, we will not know what we have. If my family did not take the risk to escape Viet Nam by boat, we would not be living in America. We have to learn to make our own decisions to say Deal or No Deal.
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