Winning over!

(Content warning: Depressing, suicidal thoughts)

I sat by the window in my apartment smoking till daylight.

Thinking about the future, life, and my failed relationship. Most importantly thinking about how to change my bad luck. Maybe waiting for my luck to shine magically. Only if there had been a magic formula for such a thing!

A 35-years old stubborn man with a job lost recently, a wife left, what would he make of nights. I better think and shine my future bright!

I glanced at my cheap mobile phone which had a screen cracked at several places and refused to let you hear any voices out of it on occasions. I quickly googled, ‘The easiest way to get rich’.

Well, the problem with me, I was always after the easiest ways to do things. Most often things done most easily are not the things most rewarding in long term, Meesha would have lectured me now.

Meesha, my wife of six years claimed to know me thoroughly and concluded that I am of no good use to anyone but a toxic person and more of a harm to the surrounding.

Losing people, I love was my destiny. First, I lost my both parents at a young age and now my wife left me.

***

An Alien arrives at the window flying in his robotic vehicle and knocks on the window, calls my name. I am not surprised that he knows my name. After all, I am bound to be famous beyond the boundaries of this galaxy, perhaps this universe. I devour so much positive energy to me, that attracts everything.

“Buddy, I know it’s been a tough year but I am here finally to help you reclaim what’s yours on this tiny planet of yours!”, His green eyes warped with sluggish green body blinks in confidence.

At this sudden juncture, I waste no time gathering the details and nod in agreement.

“You just have to grab a paper. Write a mantra I tell you. And do precisely as per it.”

I get up to grab the pen and paper just so that the Alien starts peeing with his green urine all over my face!

“Ick, ick...!”, I woke up from the deep sleep and the dream too, to see my old dog, Rusty peeing on me climbing on the bed with me. I had again forgotten to address his nature calls before he went to the bed last night and he showered the praise on me for the dutifulness.

***

I have forgotten different ways to love someone, but I know how to buy grocery items for me and Rusty and stay alive barely. I was walking down St. Patrick’s street, turned towards a narrow lane, towards downtime. A car was maybe following me from a long distance. A thought barely touched my mind, if I could pass that one pole a few meters away before the car does, I win, and I get the precious prize in life. I tried so hard, almost ran but careful not to show the sudden rush to fellow pedestrians. And I did it finally, I reached before the car does and now, I was waiting for something good to happen to me.

***

My overgrown beard and unkempt hair made me compatible with Rusty’s good old habits. But it was time to change into something better now. Finally, I got an interview call for the long-awaited sales job I applied for. I took a pair of scissors and a trimmer and try to get presentable as much as possible. I realize its about time that I should start to their office in half an hour so that to reach on time. I have overslept again. I opened the cupboard to wear something nice, maybe my favorite blue shirt that Meesha had gifted. But to my surprise, the blue shirt was not just creased all the places, but it also had a sausage stain at the right place, which wasn’t washed for a reason. There’s a similar plight for almost all my clothes, now suddenly I realize why I had been wearing the same clothes for a week or so! I settle for another shirt with a pink color and less crease. Got dressed, left the Rusty to the landlord (whose nagging for the rent again I had to ignore), started for the journey towards the change of my life. Towards being the best salesman in the country. Towards the richest salesman in history.

***

At the interview, after a brief introduction and a couple of questions, the interviewer to me,

“So why should we select you for this role? What unique qualities do you bring to the organization?”

“Well, just to start with, I am honest, I have a vast experience of losing things and feel small and belittled, and how they would feel superior by wearing your clothes.”

“Ahem...”

“In simple terms, I am very honest!”, I barged in with my full confidence.

“Ok, Look. An honest salesman is the last thing we want in for our organization. This year had been such full of surprises and we want someone with wit and charm for sales. blah… blah…“

“blah... blah...”

***

At the end of a rigorous, mind wrecking one-hour interview, I return empty-handed towards the bus stop to catch the bus home. As I walk past the ice-cream shop, I feel the urge to satiate my inner desires of having something very heavenly in my abdomen, and honestly, I was getting hungry too; but I refrain as I have to save money for the bus ride. I walk past Central Avenue and at a signal post, I find a man almost of my age selling wicked little toys. But nobody cares. I cross the road and walk past a couple of shops selling random stuff like decorating crafts, candles, and soaps, etc. Suddenly my eyes start lurking with an idea as they stumble upon the lottery seller idling at one of these shops’ entrances. This lottery ticket must be the stairway to change my luck forever. I approached the lottery vendor with great anticipation of eager conversation. He frowns upon seeing me.  Perhaps he knows, I am going to trade the bus fare amount towards the lottery ticket!

“For how much?”

“..”

I slide the bill and accept the lottery ticket with magnifying eyes. I looked at the colorful paper and the numbers printed on it at the bottom, some random animal is drawn on it. Folks, this is the ticket to the rise of an invincible legend!

I walked towards the home. Rusty greeted me while making the bitter face and I tried to console myself, imagining things after a tiresome day. But this is going to be a very important day of my life.

For the rest of the day, I sit by the window in my apartment smoking till daylight, planning how I would spend the lottery money!