Lotto

Jim and Chuck were planning on being rich. The lottery was up to 4.3 million dollars and they were going to cash in. At least, that was what they kept telling each other. They had discussed buying the tickets and how many they wanted to buy. Chuck wanted to buy at least twenty dollars worth. Jim told him that he didn’t think that was necessary.

         The two best friends worked together at the feed mill. They had known each other their entire lives. They had gone to school together, gotten into trouble together, gotten married in a double ceremony, and divorced within a couple of months of each other. Neither had any children. They had gone in together on a piece of land, and placed themselves each a trailer on the land. They sat out at night, drinking beer and talking.

         Jim and Chuck were so close that they each had a hunting dog from the same litter and had named them with twin names, Rodney and Roger. They were closer than brothers. In fact, neither had spoken to their brothers in close to five years.

         Now there was this chance at the lottery. They both knew that the odds were extremely stacked against them, but they didn’t care. They told everyone that they could ‘feel’ that they were going to win. Chuck was hoping and praying. Jim, unbeknownst to Chuck, had an ace in the hole.

         Jim owed a lot of people a lot of money. Of this dilemma, Chuck was unaware. Jim also had a girlfriend that Chuck didn’t know about. 

         The night before the lottery numbers were to be announced, Jim and Chuck sat outside drinking, as always. Jim was being a lot quieter than usual, and Chuck commented on that, asking Jim if something was wrong.

         Jim told Chuck that he just had some things on his mind, it was no big deal. Chuck frowned in Jim’s direction, but Jim didn’t see because it was getting dark. Jim’s attitude was truly concerning to Chuck, but he didn’t know how to approach it as it was a new thing between them.

         The guys went to work at the feed mill the next morning, Chuck still wondering what the devil Jim had on his mind. Jim was still being unusually private about it. The entire day passed with Chuck wondering and Jim not sharing.

         Jim got a phone call during their lunch break. He did something he had never done before. He excused himself from eating lunch with Chuck, stating that the call was private. Chuck couldn’t believe what he had been told. Jim needed privacy? Needed to be away from him? Just what in the blue blazes was going on here, anyway?

         The phone call was from Jim’s secret girlfriend, not that Chuck was made aware later, when Jim returned. Jim seemed happier and less concerned, but he was still acting just as strange. That night, when it was time for them to sit out and drink their beer, Jim bowed out.  He claimed that he was tired and going to bed. Chuck was beside himself. This had never happened before in their entire relationship.

         Suddenly, Chuck drew a conclusion. He convinced himself that the phone call had been from a doctor’s office, and they had given Jim bad news. Chuck decided right then and there that if he won the lottery, he would use every cent if he had to in order to cure whatever Jim was ailing from.

         The next morning, when Jim came out to go to work, Chuck was waiting for him. Chuck confronted Jim, who was less than thrilled.

         “I figured out your secret, Jim.”

         “Oh, did you now? And just what do you think that it may be?”

         Chuck told Jim of his theory and of his plan to help him with his lottery winnings. Jim sighed a deep sigh. He thought seriously for a moment of leaving Chuck hanging with his incorrect theory, but decided that he had better give him some other story to believe, instead.

         Jim proceeded to comfort his old friend by stating that he was not, indeed, sick. That had not been his doctor on the phone. Chuck didn’t seem to be buying it. He wanted the truth, dammit, and he wasn’t letting go of this without it. Jim just stared at him for a minute, then slowly nodded. 

         Jim explained that he had mortgaged his trailer (the truth) because he needed money for repairs (a lie). He said that he was behind on the payments (the truth) and that it had been the bank on the phone (a lie). He said that this was the reason he was hoping to win something in that damn lottery (a somewhat truth).

         Chuck took a deep breath, and Jim could almost see the tension leave him. This made Jim feel terrible, as he knew Chuck was concerned for him. He just couldn’t tell him. He had to keep his secret, at least for a little while longer.

         They drove in to work together. There was very little conversation exchanged. Jim’s phone rang three times on the way in, and he pressed ignore all three times. On the third call, Chuck asked him if he needed to answer it. Jim again told him it was private.

         This went on for a couple more days, until the day of the lottery drawing was upon them. Chuck asked Jim if he wanted to come over and watch with him. Jim declined. Chuck asked if Jim wanted him to go to his house to watch. Again, he declined. 

         Chuck went inside his trailer, confused, lonely, and hurt. He turned on the television so he could make sure that he didn’t miss the announcement of the numbers. He pulled out his ticket and waited.

         Before the numbers were announced, Jim knocked on Chuck’s door. When Chuck answered, Jim told him that they needed to talk. Chuck invited him in and grabbed a couple of beers from the fridge.

         Once they were settled in with their beers, Chuck reminded Jim that the lottery numbers were going to be announced in about fifteen minutes. Jim made the oddest comment, saying that there was no need to watch. He further stated that Chuck wasn’t going to win and that he, Jim, had all of the winning numbers.

         Chuck was appalled. How could his friend possibly know that information? He stared at Jim, his beer all but forgotten.

         Jim explained that the private phone calls had been from his secret girlfriend. She worked for the lottery commission and had rigged the lottery to match his numbers. He was going to win it all. Furthermore, he was going to pay off his trailer, and then put it and his share of the property up for sale. He would be moving in with the girlfriend.

         Chuck couldn’t believe what he was hearing! He jumped up, knocking over his beer in the process. He glared at Jim. Jim was apologizing and making excuses. Chuck didn’t want to hear it. 

         Suddenly, the announcer came on for the lottery numbers. Chuck snatched Jim’s ticket and watched as one after another, the numbers came up. When it was over, Chuck turned back to Jim. 

         Jim couldn’t believe the look in Chuck’s eyes. It was a look he had never seen before. Suddenly, the hunting knife that Chuck always wore on his belt was in Jim’s throat! Chuck dragged Jim’s body out into the woods, after texting the secret girlfriend that he (Jim) was leaving town with his winnings.  Chuck buried the winnings  along with Jim’s body.

         The next morning, Chuck made a call to work and then to the police, telling them that Jim wasn’t home and hadn’t shown up to ride to work. They traced the winning numbers to Jim, but they never found out where Jim or the money had disappeared to. 

         Chuck continued to work at the feed mill, and to buy a lottery ticket every week. However, he died having never once won the lottery.