I Think My Father Got Me

It was the mid/late seventies and I was just a little girl. The Maryland State Lottery during those days had several different lottery games that you could play. They even had monthly subscriptions which I don't think they have today.

Well, one of the games you could play was called The Numbers Game. It's exactly like the Pick 3 and Pick 4 game of today.

Anyway, on one beautiful Saturday afternoon, my mother and I were at the grocery store picking up groceries for the house. As we checked out I noticed on my right hand side there was a customer service counter where you could process returns, send Western Unions, purchase money orders and you guessed it....purchase lottery tickets.

I begged my mother to give me $1.00 so that I could play The Numbers Game. "Come on mom. Can I pleeeeeeaaaase have a dollar for a ticket?"

Persuaded by my very advanced skills of persuasion she agreed,"Alright...alright. Let's go get you a darn ticket because I don't think you are going to ever shut up about it are you?"

Me, "Nope."

So she and I saunter up to the counter and I tell the lady behind the partition that I wanted 298 and I wanted 50cent boxed and 50 straight. What!? I heard the other people in front of me say that so I thought I would try sounding like I knew what the hell I was talking about and imitate what they said. lol

So the lady punches on her keyboard and a ticket spits out and she hands it to me and I hand her the dollar in exchange.

Well later that night while at home with my siblings and parents, the lottery results flashed on the screen. I had completely forgot I had purchased a ticket earlier that day. As the ticker tape scrolled across the bottom of the screen my eyes widened. No it couldn't be. I sat there and watched as the numbers scrolled across the screen once more.

"MOM!!!" I screamed, "My number came out!"

She came over to the TV and watched the numbers scroll across again and simply said, "It sure did."

I ran over to my father at the dining room table where he was seated and said, "Daddy, my number hit!! And it came out exactly the way I had it!!"

My father looked at me then looked at my mother who then said, "She sure did."

My father said, "Well alright sweet pea. That's great. Where is the ticket?"

My mother reached in her purse and pulled it out and handed it to my father. At that point I was just dancing around the house singing my little "I won the lottery" song.

After a few moments of my singing my father said, "Sweet pea come here for a minute."

I ran into the dining room and stood in front of my father all excited, beaming with pride. He said, " Hey sweetie, you did win. Your winnings are about $40.00. Why don't I give you the $40 and I take the ticket and cash it in for you?'"

Well I was in heaven!!! I had all that money and I was about to get it right then and there. WHOO HOOO!! Hell yeah I'm going to take that deal. So after I agreed and my father handed me my money I went screaming around the house, "I'm rich!!"

The next day my mother took me shopping. Even then I was a clothes horse. I bought about 2 complete outfits PLUS a pair of shoes. I was ecstatic!

It wasn't until several years later that I put 2 and 2 together and realized...Hmmmmm, that ticket was worth a hell of a lot more then $40.00.

Damn him!!! lol