Under the Mango Tree: 101 Tales (2)

UNCLE CHARLIE

Challenge No.38 - Dream Logic.

Write a scene or story that involves a dream.

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Stewart was pragmatic and proud of it, but he'd soon find out that there was more between heaven and earth than was ever dreamt of in his philosophy, assuming he dreamt.

Uncle Charlie was dead. Stewart of all people knew this because he'd been the one to discover the body. It's true that Uncle Charlie wasn't young but it was still a shock to find the old man dead. Stewart had come by on one of his regular visits, just for a coffee and a chat. Instead, there was Uncle Charlie at the kitchen table, lottery ticket in hand - dead.

Charles Sonson was a running joke within the family. No one could remember ever not knowing him to play the games of chance. From bingo to scratch the card to the Lottery. He played - he never won. And now he was dead.

Stewart inherited the house. He promptly gave up his tiny rental apartment and moved in. One week into the residence it happened. He dreamt of Uncle Charlie. He'd handed him a piece of paper.

'For you.' That's all he said. Stewart read the note. It made no sense. '758759'

Stewart jumped up with the memory of the dream still vibrant in his mind. He dismissed the entire incident, got out of bed and got ready for work.

The next night was a repeat.

'For you.' again the numbers. '758759'

When it happened for the third night in a row, Stewart decided to study the numbers. He didn't work on weekends, with the numbers laid out he started. They were not geographic coordinates. It wasn't a phone number that was for sure.

Stewart slapped his forehead. Since it was Uncle Charlie, it had to be lottery numbers! But what combination? Six straight numbers were not how the numbers were called. After fiddling for a bit, he decided that the combination was 7-58-75-9

Stewart had the recurring dream, this time with a subtle difference. Charles had tweaked the numbers.

'For you.'

'7-58-75-9'

Apparently, it wasn't enough to cypher the numbers, Charlie wanted his nephew to play the numbers. So, with the combination endorsed, Stewart began to play the lottery. As expected, all the Uncle Charlie jokes were now transferred to him.

Over the next three years, Stewart ran the numbers. Every time he stopped playing, and there were many times. Charlie would appear.

'For you.'

'7-58-75-9'

If he was playing, Charlie didn't show up.

One morning Stewart did the math. So far, he'd spent almost eight hundred dollars on this endeavour and that was eight hundred too much.

He quit.

Lottery night came and went. Stewart received a call from his brother.

"Did you play last night?" He didn't have to say what.

"Nope. I'm done with all that. If I'd put that money in a jar, I'd be better off."

"Let me read you last night's numbers. They were 7-58-75-9. The jackpot was twenty-five million."

Uncle Charlie never visited Stewart again.

© 7 April 2022

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