Luck

It was late in the day and I needed to pick a few things from the grocery store for brunch the next day.  My parents were back in town and I was hosting a welcome home party.  My three brothers, sister and their families were coming over to spend the day hanging out.  Our parents winter in Florida and every spring they come home late in April, just as the weather is warming up, so every spring one of us plan a family gathering and this year its my turn.

As I wandered through the store, the posting for the evening’s lottery caught my eye.  It was the biggest jackpot to date and on a whim I bought a ticket.  Without giving it further thought I stuck it in my purse, the odds of winning where very much against me, but at least I had given myself a shot at it.

In the morning I was busy with taking care of the hundred’s of details needing my attention when hosting a large group of people.  We would number about forty all told.  When my sister, one of the last to arrive, entered the house she announced the news of someone in our hometown had purchased the winning ticket the night before and asked if any of us had bought one.  A feeling of premonition swept over me, a chill raced up my spine and I shivered.

I dried my hands on a towel and went to my purse, pulled out the ticket I had purchased the night before and looked at the numbers, comparing them to the ones listed in the paper my sister had brought with her.  I blinked a couple of times trying to clear my eyes and focus.  Several times I looked back and forth between the two until I had confirmed what I could not believe.

I had all five numbers, but not the Powerball!  A winning ticket, but it was not the winning ticket.  I giggled as I felt relief flood me, for a moment I had been inundated with a mixed bag of glee and fear of having to figure out how to deal with a fortune.  As it was the prize I had won would cause me all kinds of unforeseen headaches.