If You're Lucky, the Number Doesn't Matter

A month ago, after a day of playing tourist at Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty, etc., and navigating thru the Friday nite traffic exiting the City, my Cousin-in-Law and I stopped for a fill-up en route back to West Point where she was temporarily stationed. We exited the car and ran into the station when I remembered there was a "Big" Lottery due to be drawn that weekend.

We stood in line at the counter, and I bought a ticket--letting the computer choose whatever numbers it thought I should have; she spent some thoughtful time, carefully registering favored or 'lucky' numbers on each ticket, and labored to pick the very last number.

The Mini-Mart Philosopher (who probably long-ago tired of hearing 'sell me the winning ticket') offered up this bit of Life Advice to us... "If you're lucky, the number doesn't matter"

'If you're lucky, the number doesn't matter ! ' It hadn't occurred to me that nite, how profound a statement that is.

Last week, while shopping at a department store that was handing out scratch-off coupons at check-out, giving 15% 20% or 30% off your total purchase, I started to paw thru the tickets in the clerk's outstretched hands ... and remembered... "If I'm lucky, it doesn't matter which ticket I take". I re-inserted a ticket I'd drawn from the center of the pile and simply took the ticket on top of the pile.

He scratched the surface ... 30% off!

That day, I was lucky ... and it didn't matter from where in the pile it had come!