I don't know the appointment times of the other two winners inside the state lottery office. Since that gal complained that everybody was showing up early, I assume they could only have been 9:50, or later than our 10:00 appointment. As I mentioned, appointments are every 10 minutes, and we got there at 9:45.
I was going to make this title: A Hick, an Indian, and a Black Guy Walk Into a Lottery Office. But I figured that would offend some people. I don't describe people out of malice, but only because I try to set the scene in my tales. In this case, showing that it's not just Missouri rednecks who play the lottery.
The Indian Guy (Asian, not Native American), was not talkative. He kept to himself, filling out his forms, then waiting for his turn. The Black Guy was more vocal. He looked at a blown-up ticket on the wall, and said, "Look at that! Wouldn't that be great to win?" It was a $50 ticket, and the win was $1,000,000. There was a 500X multiplier, for a $2000 prize.
Hick said, "I know the guy that sold that ticket!"
I figured Hick was just talking out his rumpus as usual. But I asked the guy's name, and Hick told me the name of his store. Which was listed on the ticket info on the wall. So I guess he really DID know the guy.
Anyhoo... Black Guy said he had won $15,000 on a $5 crossword ticket. I play those every day!!! But the highest I've won is $100. He said he scratched off the top puzzle, and won nothing. He was disgusted, and tossed that ticket onto his "losers" pile. Then at the end, he took it back and scratched off the bottom puzzle. He was shocked that he had a multiplier that made his win $15,000.
What makes that story worse for me is that Black Guy got his ticket in a town near where Hick used to work, halfway between the lottery office and Backroads. Dang it! I was happy for his win. But I see a nearby big win as a sign that I'm probably not going to get a big win on that ticket.
Anyhoo... we left while wishing each other luck in the future. I'm always happy when somebody wins big, even it it isn't me.
Oh NO! You might trigger someone.
ReplyDeleteI am always happy to see someone win even if only to know people do win.
I KNOW! Sometimes I feel like a description can only be that of a stick with a head, like the "people" in The Game of Life. Heh, heh! Even back then, we sought out the ones with a little stub of plastic that gave them a "nose," just so everybody wouldn't look the same.
DeleteNow I have proof that somebody around here can actually win more than $100 on a crossword ticket.
I'm happy when people win big too, but still always wish it was me.
ReplyDeleteI can't visualize myself winning a really big prize. It still hasn't sunk in about my $8,600 slot jackpot ($6,400 that I carried out the door, after tax withholding). But I definitely feel slighted when somebody around here wins big on a ticket I play. Especially that last $100,000 win at the Backroads Casey's, on a $5 ticket.
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