If it were mine, I would take the dang thing apart and figure out how it
> worked. Then, I would go buy another one because I can NEVER get anything I
> take apart back together again.
I had a toy electronic robot that I got one Xmas as a kid that I took apart and couldn't get back together... my mother ended up sending it to my grandfather (who'd been an EE prior to retirement) who managed to do so and sent it back.
I was rather proud of myself a year or so later when I took it apart again and, that time, did successfully get it all back together in one piece. :-)
So perhaps your grandfather could help you out here, Bob? :-)