Close but No Cigar, by Will Stanton

“A miss is as good as a mile” is another hackneyed expression equivalent to “Close but no cigar.” Sometimes winning just is a matter of sheer dumb luck.

I suppose that it's human nature often to dwell upon bad luck at the expense of thinking of one's good luck. We might call that the “Charlie Brown syndrome,” that is, “If I didn't have bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all.” Which reminds me of Charlie being told, “Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and sometimes you are rained out,” along with Charlie's response, “You mean that people sometimes win?”

Years ago when I still hoped that I had better luck than exists in reality, I occasionally used to play the lotto. I did not choose quick-picks. Instead, I had a series of favorite numbers that I always used.

Then one day, I went to the Seven-Eleven for a lotto ticket. To this day, I do not know why, at the last moment, I changed my mind and chose differently how to play. I spontaneously selected three tickets rather than just one, and, having not won with my favorite numbers before, distributed those numbers among the three tickets.

Yes, what you are thinking came true. All my favorite numbers came up on just one winning ticket. I did not win. To “rub salt into my wound,” it turns out that, a young college woman in Boulder, not choosing her numbers herself but, instead, using a simple quick-pick, won - - -with MY numbers! She had gone to a Seven-Eleven to pick up some ready-made frosting for her boyfriend's birthday cake; and, at the last moment, decided to buy a quick-pick.

How much was the winning amount? Eleven million dollars! I never have forgotten that, especially because, since then, my not possessing entrepreneurial acumen, I have ended up being white-collar poor. How much simpler my life would have been all these years had I not missed winning that lotto loot. I almost chose the right numbers but lost because I changed my mind. I came close to winning, but close doesn't cut it. Close but no cigar.

© 23 August 2015

About the Author

I have had a life-long fascination with people and their life stories. I also realize that, although my own life has not brought me particular fame or fortune, I too have had some noteworthy experiences and, at times, unusual ones. Since I joined this Story Time group, I have derived pleasure and satisfaction participating in the group. I do put some thought and effort into my stories, and I hope that you find them interesting.