Lottery

Lottery 

Sept. 12, 2024

Once every month or so, when the lottery hits a ridiculous amount of millions, my husband will buy a ticket. 

“Maybe this is the one!” we’ll say, mostly joking because of course we know the odds. 

Then we’ll fantasize about what we’d do with the money if we won. 

“I definitely wouldn’t go to work tomorrow,” my husband will say. “And I’d invest most of the money.”

I’ll nod in agreement, adding: “We’d give a lot to charity and to family.” 

“We’d have a flat in Berlin and a cabin in the mountains,” my husband will offer.

“And maybe one at the beach,” I’ll add.

“I’d buy that apartment house over there, tear it down, build a pool and charge membership that is $100 less than the pool up the street,” our 10-year-old entrepreneur will declare from the backseat. 

“Hmmm, good idea,” we’ll tell him, wondering where he gets his ice-cold business sense.

“Man, we’re talking about this like it might actually be happening!” he’ll say, getting visibly excited about the imaginary pot of gold.

“Well, it’s good to dream sometimes,” we’ll respond, smiling at each other.

The dreaming continues, involving a tennis court in our backyard, putting greens, a music studio, a bigger house maybe (because why not), and year-round travel to all the places we haven’t been. 

Then we’ll start worrying about financial advisors — “I’d get at least two,” my husband will say — and other intricacies one might consider in such a “fortunate” event.

Finally, we’ll get pretty uneasy about it. 

“I really hope we wouldn’t get lazy and corrupted by all the money like a lot of people,” I’ll say.

“Yeah …,” my husband will say. “That’s what your financial advisors are for.” But I can tell he’s not convinced.

The next day, when the numbers are drawn, I’m half relieved we didn’t get a single one.