Thinking about Winning the Lottery

Tell us about a time things came this close to working out… but didn’t. What happened next? Would you like the chance to try again, or are you happy with how things eventually worked out?”
  (  DailyPost idea for today.)

The Day I thought I won the Lottery.

Every now and then I buy some scratch-off lottery tickets, and once in a while occasionally I win a dollar or two, which I almost always put in my pocket instead of buying a new ticket.  The most I ever won was within a one period week a few years ago, when I got $100 from a lottery ticket at the flea market, and later that same week won another $100, plus two $20, at the little store near home.    Very nice, but highly unusual.

Then last year, at the same store, I splurged $5.00 on a lottery ticket.  It was one of those deals where there was a bonus grid, in addition to the main one.  The bonus numbers somehow corresponded IF certain conditions were met.  So when I scratched off winning numbers, I was pleased to find that I had managed to win the basic combination–about $5, which meant I had recouped my investment.

But then, believing I had qualified to scratch off the bonus game, I was thrilled to see that as I cleared each number it was one of the winners.   The total prize was $150,000!   I couldn’t believe my good fortune.   The clerk was busy with other customers, and as I stood there with my wealthy ticket clutched in my hand, I ran through my daydream sequence in my mind about what I would do if I won a lot of money.

Talk about excited…my heart was pounding.   But when I handed the ticket to the clerk to validate it, she sort of nonchalantly handed me a $5 bill.  I was crushed, and positive that she had made a mistake.   I asked her, rather stupidly in retrospect, “is this not a $150,000 ticket?”   She said no, and explained to me that I had read the lottery instructions wrong, and had not met the rules for the big prize.

By this time we had drawn quite a crowd…well, just a couple people, but still…and I felt really stupid. They were all looking at me, stuttering and crushed– I was so disappointed.

I was reminded about that experience this morning when the insurance adjustor was here inspecting the water damage on most of my ceilings.    The phone rang, and it was a computer announcing:  “You have been selected to receive a $250,000 CASH business loan!”   I said “yeah, right” and hung up.   The adjustor asked me what? and I told him.

Boy, I could sure use that kind of money.   Let’s see, I’d pay off the house, give my kids each a few grand, buy a place in Tucson…. buy some new shoes, get some gravel for the driveway, new carpeting…lots of places for some extra money!  🙂