Christmas Eve

In spite of my condition, and the amazing lack of sympathetic gifts of brandy, I woke early this morning and headed for the horse meat shop to obtain my Christmas feast. Going early meant I got plenty of scrag ends plus I found one or two onions at the back of the fruit & veg stall in the market.  What with an old cabbage leaf or two I reckon this will be a better Christmas lunch than last years.  I also found gold! Yes GOLD!  At least one of those little round £1 coins which I instantly proffered in exchange for a winning lottery ticket.  I know this is a winning one as I asked for this and was given a smiling reassuarance from the lass behind the desk that "oh yes, this will be the winner.  Don't forget me when you win will you?" She smiled a knowing smile and I agreed I would indeed rememebr her.  I will send her a postcard from Guam that will please her!


However I returned home and  dumped my precious finds.  I decided that as the sun had appeared I would once more trawl the shops and streets looking for lost coins and foodstuffs.  I zipped my coat right up to my chin, tightened my cheap baseball cap on my head, thrust my hands deep in my empty pockets and bore the chilled air with little affection for it.  As I crossed the empty park I considered the young lass from Perth Daily Photo who was suffering a Christmas Day on the beach with heat reaching around 30 degrees.  What me, jealous?  You bet!  Heat, near naked women, ice creams and Christmas pudding?  Sounds OK to me.


For reasons unknown I took out my wallet.  As the moths slowly opened their eyes I realised the lottery ticket was not there!  Drat!  I must have dropped it earlier, possibly not putting it in the pocket correctly.  My dreams of fame and fortune faded.  I wandered back to the shop, gazed around the floor hoping to see it lying there, and found nothing but disapointment and dust.  I enquired somewhat embarrassed as to whether it had been handed in. Surpressing a grin the lass denied this had happened and I realised it had indeed been dropped there, handed over to her, and she now awaited my winnings! Grrrrrr!  


Back towards home I trundled, head down attempting to avoid wet patches getting into the hole in my shoe.  What an idiot, wasting money on a lottery ticket, and now despairing that it had got lost.  It crossed my mind that this was not a good attitude.  I had nothing, lost nothing but might have won something!  That 'might have' is where the temptation arises.  With odds of around 14 million to one it is unlikely a major win will arrive, but then again a large donation 'might!'  In my financial position that 'might' is powerful!  I passed throught he 'Dingley Dell' and noticed a Robin fluffed up against the cold sitting on a branch.  Not possible to get a picture as the brute was too far away, yet the words 'They do not worry or fret  and he feeds the birds of the air,' came to mind.  So why should I be concerned, or indeed even play the Lottery?


Back home again I found the ticket sitting on my desk where I left it as I came in earlier.
Fool!

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