Lucky Signs
Last night I went to 7-11 and my total came to $7.11. I was expecting balloons to fall from the ceiling and a bunch of people to jump out from the corners throwing confetti, but at 2 am all I got was a bored security guard and a cashier wearing an “I am not a terrorist” button.
I figured the numerical coincidence was a sign that I should buy a lottery ticket. Gamblers always see weird things as lucky signs. One time, my friend and I drove to Vegas and passed a burning car along the way. For some reason we were certain that was a lucky sign (nobody headed to Vegas sees anything as an unlucky sign). As it turned out, we lost our asses.
Before heading home, we tried to eat our “free” breakfast that cost enough to feed several third world countries for a year, but it’s hard to swallow when there’s a knot of suicidal intentions stuck in your throat. Then we got really stupid, yanked out some more cash and hit the tables again. The pitboss arranged to extend our room several hours. With five minutes to go until lockout, we’d both won ALL our money back! We literally ran to the elevators and desperately yelled, “Hold the door!!” The guy did and my friend and I turned into a couple of blathering idiots speaking 1000 words a minute:
“Omigod-we-were-up-all-night-and-we-lost-all-our-money-and-then-we-went-
back-to-the-tables-and-we-won-it-all-back…!”
for 20 floors. The guy smiled and said, “Right on.” All cool from Mr. Cool himself, Peter Fonda. Even though we didn’t actually win money on the trip, coming back from where we’d been felt unbelievably lucky, so now we always hope to see disasters on the road to Vegas.
Back to the 7-11. I bought a ticket and scratched it right there. I’ve learned not to take those home with me because when I do and win, it takes me about six months to finally turn it in. All the while it’s positioned in a prominent spot on my desk at least six inches from any other objects like it’s the Holy Grail and I’m terrified any clutter will cause me to throw it out by mistake. All that even though the most I ever won was $10 (once).
My sign recognition was once again on the money… I won $2 (off a $2 scratcher). I proudly handed the cashier the ticket and he ran it through the computer. Then he asked me, “How do you want it?”
I stood there staring at him with my mouth agape for a good 10 seconds. How do I want it? Hmmm, I don’t know…in gold bullion? Or maybe on one of those big checks from Ed McMahon. Better yet, throw it into a high yield cd, let it roll over and in a year I’ll have a nickel to toss to the homeless guys who accost me every time I walk in the joint.
How many options are there for two dollars? Maybe some people like to splurge and spend it all at once on Slurpees but I’ve learned my lesson and took the cold hard cash.
Another break-even victory for me!
lol…tht’s freaky though! small coincedence= small amount of luck, hey?
exI got a lottery ticket for Christmas and haven’t gone to the store yet to see if it’s a winner. I’m sure it’s a loser, but hey, ya never know eh?
Hah, I never believe in luck. Then again, I’m not a gambler and have never bought a lotto ticket.
You could’ve asked for another $2 scratcher.
Janee, you’ve done it again… made me laugh a lot, and reminded me of a Slurpee story I must post tonight. I’ll link it to yours… Speaking of lottery tickets… I had a few wrinkled and mangled ones still living in my purse around Christmas… I put them in my 22yr old’s stocking as a stuffer… He’s still not gone to the “place” to cash in his $2 or throw them in the trash…:)
I casually encountered your page. I’m from Japan. Your article is nice for my English. I like it. Recently I began podcasting on my homepage.
I’ll check your page soon. See you.
hahah, nice read
Lol, i buy the dollar scratch cards and whenever i get $2, I get another scratch card and scratch it. Someitmes i’ll win another 2, sometimes i wont.
But hey, i might have a chance of getting 10k =P
Last week I bought a lotto ticket for my friend’s birthday. She won ten dollars, so I went back to the store and bought five more two dollar tickets. Surprise of surprises! One of those tickets was good for fifty (albiet Canadian) dollars! Did I run back to the store and blow it all on twenty-five more two dollar tickets? You bet. And these all lost. Did I learn anything from the experience? No. I’d do the same thing over again. Because I’m actually a robot.
This is my first read of your blog. Is it still ok to call these things blogs?
I immediately related to the association of the terms accosted and homeless guy. Why do they go hand in hand? Have you ever not been accosted by a homeless guy? The day one approaches me and says, “No wait! I’m not going to accost you. I just wanted to tell you you dropped some money back there.”, it will fundementally change my view on life forever.
I actually saw one guy recently with one of those little Visa and Mastercard logos afixed to his shirt. Talk about being entrepreneurial. There goes my excuse of not ever carrying cash.
Whoever thought that blog hopping would be so much fun? Thank you for the laugh. Next time return to the same 711 and purchase your next card in pennies. Make sure that you have a nice line up behind you.
Rose DesRochers
random person. random comment.
If your 7/11 is like some I’ve been in , you were LUCKY to survive the trip to the 7/11 at 2am.
My son was born in room 303 at 3:03 p.m. I didn’t even know the room number until later (it’s not the kind of thing you check as your being ushered into the labour and delivery room. And even if I did know…it’s not like I could have (nor would have) planned it that way. As if the nurse would say, “O.k. – one more push and the baby is out!” and I’d say “No wait! It’s not the right time yet! Just one more minute. Let me cross my legs!”
Yeah…303 is definatly a lucky number for one of us from now on.
hai jenne iam new to blog happy toread ur blogs
Isn’t there some rule against being in a 7/11 at 2am, i.e. AFTER 11? Maybe that’s why you didn’t get the balloons, breaking in after hours was never the right way to get praise
That was one of those synchronicity things that is very easy to spot once you know that there is such a thing! The are no co-incidences…to me.
I’ve heard recently that many people are the country are seeing the same number over and over again. Most people are seeing 22 or 23. Everwhere they go they keep seeing this number as if it trying to send a message. Do any of you have the same experience?
I need to correct my spelling before I send my opinions….everywhere, around. Sorry, folks.
hey! very entertaining
I wish I knew what blog template you used because it’s so cool
wow that is crazy $7.11 at 7-11 haha
I loved your blog entry, must read more.
check mine out its just a start but id appreciate it if you took a look.
http://searching4purpose.blogspot.com/
Dont’ knock the burning car theory. I was right! We won all our money back. Due to excellent BJ skills, your clevage, the crack head sitting next to me and meeting Peter Fonda in the elevator.
That reminds me of the time when I was four at a Catholic fair and I won a raffle with the number “666″. I won a huge cake.
You should have won a huge cake with that $7. 11 too.
Stupid non-enthusiastic clerk and security guard…
Good work.Best of luck.keep it up.Now its time to see my works.
http://www.boomworld.tk
http://www.fungama.co.nr
Thanks dude
hi to all,
i do not believe luck,if i believe it then i will loss money for my experience.i can use the cash too buy something and get fun.on the other hand,i will feel miserable.
Repeating or coincidental numbers always intrigue me too. Actually the numbers 1242 constantly appear to me…licence plates, digital clocks, its weird. Even my b-day is April 2nd..and I was born at 1:42 am. Freaky, I know. I suppose I should play those numbers, but surprisingly, I haven’t happened upon a burning car omen to convince me to do so. Anyhow, it was a good read. I like that your blog is so serious…its fun. Its how I fashioned my own.
kelsrant.blogspot.com
I habitually count the magpies I see (1 for sorrow, 2 for Joy etc) but I’m a little confused over whether you’re supposed to count the magpies in one “seeing” or do they accumulate through the day?
Actually I’ve been having a crap time lately so maybe you’re supposed to count them in binary format…
1 for sorrow, 1 for sorrow, 1 for sorrow…
The cashier was a greater commedian then u.