This jay-walking story makes an excellent story for recovery from addictions.
“Our behaviors was unreasonable; unsound; and hard to understand with respect to the first bet.
It is like the man who likes to jay-walk. This person likes to rush across the road in front of fast-moving vehicles, instead of using the traffic light or zebra crossing.
He has been doing this for years despite warnings. Up to this point you would label him as a foolish person.
Luck then deserts him and he is slightly injured several times. You would expect him, if he were normal, to stop but he is hit again, this time he has a fractured skull.
Within a week after leaving the hospital a fast-moving car breaks his arm. He tells you he has decided to stop jay-walking for good, but in a few weeks’ time he breaks both legs.”
“Through the years this behavior continues, accompanied by his continual promises to be careful or not to do it again.
Finally, he can no longer work, and his wife gets a divorce. He tried to stop jaywalking and shut himself up in an asylum, hoping to mend his ways.
Once he recovers and comes out, he races across the road in front of a fire engine, which breaks his back.
Is this man crazy?
But if we substitute gambling for jay-walking, this illustration would fit exactly.