Sunday being the second day of the month, and a day off for The Pony, who is now a REGULAR City Carrier... I headed over to Pony House to pick up his house payment! I was supposed to get there at 3:00, but I was running a little late because I got sidetracked at the Gas Station Chicken Store. It was virtually deserted on this bright fall day, save for one other customer.
Cussy, as I will call her, was an old lady about my age. She had a helmet of short gray hair, and large round dark sunglasses. She was a perfectly nice old lady, in jeans and tennis shoes, with a gruff voice. She carried three cans of Coke to the counter, and said she wanted to also get some scratchers. She paid CASH!
Anyhoo... my favorite clerk was telling her: "Yeah. I've never seen that message come up on the screen. Here it is." She handed back a ticket, but I was behind Cussy, and couldn't see what kind it was.
"That's why I didn't want you to cash it out. Only scan it for me."
"Well. They made sure I COULDN'T! 'DO NOT CASH. RETURN TICKET TO CUSTOMER.' I couldn't miss that!"
There was some more back and forth talk. Cussy got her new tickets. And mentioned that the ticket in question was a $1000 winner.
"Did you get that one here?"
"Yes. Yesterday."
Of course I inserted myself into the conversation. "That must be why I can't win! You're getting the winners!"
"It's one of the tickets you buy everyday, too!"
OUCH! That was a dagger through my heart! Turns out it was the purple $3 ticket I am so fond of. Cussy gathered up her stuff. She was a nice chatty gal, informing me that one time she won $5000, and Woman Owner filled out the paperwork for her to send in to the lottery office, and she had her check back in her mailbox within 3 DAYS!
"I just can't bear the thought of going to the city to the lottery office to cash it in. It's so dangerous up there these days. I hope Woman Owner can fill the paperwork out again for me."
Once Cussy had left, after buying the three tickets I was there to get (!), I mentioned to Favorite Clerk: "Yesterday I bought TWO of that ticket!"
"I know! And you never do that."
"Yeah. I guess I set her up to win. Well. Good for her. I'm always happy for a winner. But I'm happier for a winner that didn't win on MY FAVORITE TICKETS!"
Oh, well. That win wasn't meant for me. I'll get another one. Eventually...
At least The Pony forked over his house payment check with no problems.
I've never stood in line behind a big winner, but when I hear about a big lottery winner in my city I whisper to myself, "that could have been me". Because I'm the jealous type, even while being happy for someone else.
ReplyDeleteIt's a big kick in the rumpus to see a big winner on a ticket I buy every day at that very location, bought the previous day. I was in the right place at the wrong time! I understand your jealousy.
DeleteThat's about as bad as getting up from a slot machine and the next person wins allt he $$ you inserted.
ReplyDeleteI have to move out of the area when I leave a slot, because I can't stand the thought of seeing or hearing the jackpot hit for someone else!
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