The mans name is Joseph Jones, but nobody seems to care about that. Just the fact that he won the lottery seems to be there only intrest in him. After the interview he felt like some type of doll for kids to play with. Just something to dress up and look good, then throw it away then there done with it.
He felt sick to his stomach. Driving back home, (Which still felt weird for him to say outloud) he thought about his life and all the changes he will take. The house, the car, clothes. Things he hasn't had in 20 years. People have taken photos of him walking down the street to his home, the pictures of his face have been on the news, internet. Just everywhere.
But why wouldn't it be? He's a poor man turned rich. People are jealous, happy. he still remembers the day he won, and he'll probably never forget it.
Holding onto the ten dollars tightly, Joseph trudges up to the gas station. The same one he always goes to, because they will actually allow him in the shop. Multiple times he's been kicked out of stores from the way he looks, the way he dresses. Nobody likes a poor man.
The women at the checkout counter smiles at him and nods. He nods back and heads to the water bottles while grabbing a snickers off of the counter. Grabbing three bottles, he makes his way to the back of the check out line. The man in front of him looks at Joseph out of the corner of his eye.
" Fucking bum. "
Joseph holds his tounge. He wasn't a bum. He does yard work. Although he doesn't have the right tools, he can dome some things at least. Like ranking leaves and pulling weeds.
But what makes this incident funny to Joseph is the fact that he said the same thing to a poor person before. It wasn't at a gas station and he wasn't proud of it, but nonetheless he said it. He remembered the poor lad crying afterwards. It was before the incident that made joseph poor himself. Now he finds himself wishing he could some how go back and apologize to the man. Joseph didn't know that mans story like this man didn't know his.
Looking down at the mans shoes, Joseph see's that this man was a worker. When the man lifts his foot the soles are wore in and tared at some parts. A working mans shoe. He has a ring on his finger, and the shirt he wears is covered in faded stains. But if you look closely you see its some type of schools name under all the mess. The man in front of him has kids, and a wife. Joseph glances down at his own to tight shoes and see's the front of his shoes is beginning to tear again. The duct tape on it was no help.
When it's his turn to buy his 4 items he smiles at the women who's name he didn't know.
" How are you, Joseph ? "
" Im great. How are you ? "
" I could be better. " Joseph chuckles quietly. The woman was younger then him, maybe in her twenty's. She's currently in college from what he gathered over the years. She doesn't talk much about her family, she says she sees them everyday and that's where it stops.
" Although he just got stocked with new items today. They've been going out like crazy. "
Handing her the ten dollar bill joseph smiles.
" Really now ? "
" Lottery tickets. Would you like some ? " She rips two off of the reel before joseph can answer. " You might just get lucky, Joseph. "
Joseph doesn't think that luck still exist within him. What poor man does? It seems like his has ran out a long time ago. But he doesn't what this female to know that. He doesn't like pity.
" Wouldn't that be something? "
Grabbing his items and the two tickets he makes his way outside. He tears open the snickers bar and eats half, saving the other for later. Looking down at the lottery tickets he's tempted just to throw them away, but that wouldn't be nice to do the lady. So after some time, he decides to use one but save the other for someone else.
A few moments later he's at his home, under the small bridge. Giving a ticket to a surprised across the street, he tells the man what the woman told him.
" You might just get lucky. "
Making his way to his single mattress, he removes his shoes and massages his feet. He's been all them all day and they aren't the most comfortable of shoe, but shoes nonetheless. Picking up the ticket he grabs a pencil he found on the sidewalk. Surprisingly its lasted a month without having to be sharpened. Scarping the cricles on the ticket he thinks about what would happen if he did win.
Food. That's the first thing that came to his mind. Lots and lots of food. Not gas station food either, but real restaurant made food. His stomach growls thinking about it.
Joseph gets the first two numbers right, with raised eyebrows. One more step closer to his goal.
Then that's when it happened.
Joseph Jones won the lottery.
