A Happy Lottery Story

I'm neither a player nor attention payer to the lottery programs in the country, feeling like they're an uncomfortable entry to legalized gambling.

But last night I got delightful news: the middle-aged couple who run the local general store won $500K in Powerball. You'd have to visit one of the two stores they own (named for their dead son, Derek) to see why I'm so happy for them. They work tireless hours, and are always trying to tweak their stores to make them more useful to their customers. They always greet you with a smile, and if you need something they don't stock (like the name of a good plumber, a source for this or that), they'll help you find it. They're happy to engage in discussion about that day's political or war news, yet you never hear a cross or unflattering word from any of them.

Last summer, when I was ill, they were always inquiring about my health. In fact, from practically the day I moved here four years ago and started frequenting their store, they treated me like a fond neighbor, as they seem to do with everyone else.

You'll often find their adult daughter - along with her children - working in the store, and she's every bit as nice as they are. And all their clerks speak highly of the owners, not something you hear everyday.

As you might expect, their plans for the money aren't fancy. They intend to improve their stores, maybe augment their inventory a bit, and maybe take a fishing trip. They love doing things with their grandchildren, and this may give them more flexibility to do this.

For me, this has just been one of those really nice stories that puts a smile on your face. These are people who clearly have never expected to have anything more than what they managed to provide themselves, and I don't think their new-found largesse will change that.