POV: Kang-Dae
I want to make it clear that I had absolutely no intention of spending my money that evening.
In fact, I had even made the very serious decision to no longer buy anything that wasn't essential for my survival. Given my income, this resolution stemmed less from financial wisdom than from a basic instinct for self-preservation, but I was trying to stick to it.
Then I came across this street vendor.
– just this once
So I had bought a ticket.
Don't ask me why, luckily it's free.
Hum
I prefer to preserve what little dignity I have left.
That evening, when I got back to the apartment, I took the ticket out of my pocket and put it on the table. My roommates were in the living room, busy discussing a topic that seemed fascinating since they were constantly interrupting each other to defend opinions that no one would remember the next day.
I sat down next to them and retrieved a coin from my wallet.
"What are you doing?" asked one of them, noticing the ticket.
– An investment.
He lowered his eyes to the small piece of paper I was holding between my fingers.
– Do you play this kind of game?
– No. A spur-of-the-moment thing, something like that.
They burst out laughing as I began to scrape the red surface.
Now, I had no particular expectations. If I won something, great. If not, I could always add that expense to the long list of stupid decisions I'd made since leaving my parents' house.
The first square revealed a symbol.
I scratched the next one, then the third.
Nothing happened.
"So?" asked my roommate, leaning towards me.
– Let me live with my failure in peace.
I finished scratching the ticket and turned it over to read the instructions. According to the information printed on the back, the results had to be confirmed during the televised draw that evening.
I raised my head towards the living room screen.
– Wait. Is the draw today?
- Apparently.
– OK, OK, tune in to the channel.
I grabbed the remote control and changed the channel. After a few minutes of advertising, the program dedicated to the Fantasy Game lottery began.
A smiling presenter appeared in front of a set filled with lights, accompanied by a man tasked with revealing the results.
I looked at my ticket and the screen, again and again.
the screen.
Then the ticket again.
After a few minutes, I didn't understand anything.
First figure,...
CORRECT
I get up and sit glued to the screen.
Second number.
– AWESOME
– Calm down, there are still 4 issues left.
Lança, one of the roommates
Silence
Third digit…
– CORRECT
4th digit
My roommates were also glued to the screen
CORRECT
– HAAAAA A, 5ÈME
CORRECT
– YES SSSSSSSSSSSSSS
The last one, the 6th,
My fingers were trembling, my roommates were squeezing me, and I was only staring at the screen.
– and 26?
I stared at the screen again.
– 26 ?
.
.
.
.
I remained silent.
– Bro?
I did not reply.
Hey, are you still with us?
I slowly raised the ticket to face level.
– I think I just lost the jackpot.
My roommates stopped talking.
– oh !
– BUT I WON A refrigerator. And a television.
An incredulous silence fell over the living room. Then one of them almost snatched the ticket from my hands to check the results, while another rushed towards the screen to compare the numbers.
They checked again.
Then a second one.
The third check was accompanied by a scream that made me jump.
– a fucking 27 and we were the winners
I took away the ticket my roommate was waving above his head, then I slumped down against the back of the sofa.
At least I gained something.
Me.
Kang-Dae, a student who wasn't even allowed to take his exams because he hadn't paid the necessary fees, an employee in a convenience store and the owner of a bank account whose balance sometimes made me want to apologize to my bank.
I had won a refrigerator and a television.
A consolation prize for a ticket that didn't even cost me anything.
Life may have been smiling on me, but only for once.
"I take back everything I said about lotteries," I announced.
– compared to 30 million, a fridge is really not much.
I gave him the middle finger, unable to suppress my smile.
– It looks like you're the one who lost everything.
The draw instructions stated that the winners would be contacted to arrange delivery.
I therefore had to wait before receiving my winnings, but this prospect did not diminish my enthusiasm.
For several minutes, we talked about where to put the refrigerator, what we could store in it, and the need to move some furniture.
It was ridiculous. We hadn't even received anything yet and they were already rearranging the apartment.
The next day, however, I discovered another problem.
The refrigerator could be useful, but the television presented a much more interesting opportunity. Ours still worked, although its screen sometimes displayed strange colors and we had to tap the side to get a proper picture.
Therefore, I had no reason to keep two televisions in an apartment where every square meter already seemed occupied.
After a group discussion, we decided to resell the one I had just won.
I left my roommates to negotiate with the buyer, a task for which they suddenly seemed to have acquired extraordinary sales skills. For my part, I simply made sure that the price offered wasn't ridiculously low and that the money would actually be handed over.
Once the sale was completed, we had enough to treat ourselves to a few beers and improve our dinner without having to calculate every expense as if we were preparing the budget for a military expedition.
The celebration was modest.
"To Kang-Dae," one of my roommates declared, raising his bottle. "The only man who let me enjoy beer again without ending up drunk."
– I prefer to see it as proof that the universe is finally recognizing my worth.
– The universe could have sent you money directly.
– The universe has its limits.
Laughter erupted around the table.
I took a sip, trying to maintain a straight face, but it was no use. For once, I didn't have to think about how much my next meal would cost or wonder if a forgotten bill was going to land on my doorstep at the worst possible moment.
It wasn't a fortune. Reselling the television certainly wouldn't change my life, and I had no intention of spending all that money in one evening.
So I set aside most of the money, keeping only what was needed for our little celebration.
The rest would go into my account to flatter my bank.
It was a reasonable, almost mature decision. I was proud of it.
Later that evening, while my housemates were still debating whether I had been lucky or just unlucky enough to lose so close.
I took out the second ticket I had found in the consolation prizes.
I placed it on the table and examined it under the light.
Pretty much the same, but this one is very gold.
I turned the small piece of paper between my fingers, then carefully placed it in my wallet.
– I'm going to go to sleep
I murmured
- see you tomorrow.
Launched the first
– Good night, boss
The most drunk
– You're a real idiot.
Rigola, our eldest daughter