My (Slightly) Lucky Week

So, on Wednesday, I was in a 7-11 noticed the local super-Lotto jackpot was up over $100 million. I was buying a soda refill and donuts or some such and paying with a twenty, so I asked for five quick-picks, something I do maybe half a dozen times a year (just enough to justify the "if I won the lottery" daydreaming, without being an actual notable drain on the budget).

The next day I'm in another 7-11 and on the way out run my ticket through the "Did you win?" scanner, and lo! It says I did. So I give it to the clerk who runs it through the machine, and I win a whole...fifteen dollars! Whoo! ...OK, not that exciting, but it's the biggest lottery prize I've ever won. (I've gotten my $5 back once or twice before, but this is the first time I've actualy come out ahead.)

Then last night, I decided to go see if I could catch a late showing of Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man's Chest at the local multiplex. I get there at 10:00 PM, knowing there are showings scheduled at 10:30 and 10:55. I get up to the box office, and find both showings are sold out. I see they've added a showing at 11:30, but that's a bit later than I want to go. However, I had anticipated that the shows might be sold out, and had planned, in that case, to see Superman Returns again -- I think some of the flying scenes and other bits are worth seeing on the big screen more than once.

So I get in line. But before I get up to the window, a lady comes up to the line waving a ticket. "Anyone need just one for Pirates? I have one I can't use, I'm giving it away." "Which showing?" I ask. "10:30" she says. "Sure," I say. I offered to pay for it, but she just gave it to me and walked off. Cool, thinks I. Not only in, but for free!

Of course, there was a huge line to get in, and I was near the very end. When I finally make it in, I figure I could probably find a decent single seat somewhere, but I take the easy route and plop down in the front row. It's stadium-style seaitng, so this isn't a popular choice, but it's not so bad, particularly since the row is empty, I'm right in the center, and there's a rail in front to prop my feet up on.
Then a couple guys in pirate outfits come in to work the crowd, leading us in a chorus or two of "Yo-ho, A Pirate's Life for Me" (just the chorus) and then asking some trivia questions. I know the first two, but my hand doesn't go up quickly enough. The third is "What year did the original Pirates of the Carribean ride open at Disneyland?" Again my hand isn't up first -- but the first two or three answers are wrong, so they pick me. "1967!" I say. "Correct!" (The guy tells me that's the fastest they've gotten the correct answer all day.) So, I win a free pass for the theatre. So, not only do I see the film for free, but I get to see another movie for free sometime.

OK, not exactly life-changing incidents of luck, but hey...certanly beats the usual.

I wonder if I can talk my friends into a poker game tomorrow....