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A prompt response for Inspiration Monday
A prompt response for Inspiration Monday: “Ground Control”
CATASTROPHIC SUCCESS
by John Yeo
“Bill and Bella have won the lottery!” said Robin enthusiastically to his wife.
”What’s that darling? You’re joking! Really how much did they win, I must catch up with Bella. Do you know, she’s my oldest friend, but I haven’t heard from her for months.”
“I’m not exactly sure how much, Sarah my love. I must try to get hold of Bill too, we were on the golf club committee together, maybe he will have won enough to see his way clear to funding a new clubhouse.”
Sarah smiled as she bent down and patted a passing dog that was on a long lead, “Hello Rexie, good girl, there’s a good doggie, sorry I haven’t got any chocolate today. Hello, Mrs. Perkins! Have you heard the news? Bill and Bella have won the lottery this week.”
“Have they really Mrs. Edwards, how much did they win? I’m on my way to the church, the Vicar was asking after them last Sunday. I’m sure they will make a substantial donation towards the fund for a new church roof, now they are wealthy.”
“Well Mrs Perkins, I don’t know how wealthy they are, but old Ted, the gardener distinctly overheard Bill say to Bella on his mobile, we’ve won the lottery!”
“Hello you two!” A tall slim man approached smiling broadly. “I expect you have heard the news, we have two winners in the community, it’s all over the village. Bill and Bella are always saying how the school needs more IT equipment. I am on my way to see them now, I am sure they will make a substantial donation.” Mr Saunders the headmaster, had kept the local school going for years, Bill and Bella were both ex students. “Have you heard how much they have won?”
“No Mr Saunders, no-one seems to know, I expect they asked for no publicity, you can’t be too careful these days.” replied Mrs Edwards.
“That hypocrite who lives at the end of the village, you know, the one who hates kids walking by his house, always running down Bill and Bella’s kids to all and sundry, wants to organise a surprise party down at the pub for the lucky winners. Money does have some strange effects on people.”
David the local postman rode by on his cycle and called out. “There is a traffic jam in the village apparently someone has won the lottery. Who phoned the press? I can’t get through to deliver the mail!,”
Suddenly a police siren sounded, cutting into the normal peaceful calm of the village.
Mrs. Potts a matronly lady dashed up to the villagers and said, “Someone has been spreading false rumours about Bill and Bella winning the lottery. Well they only won £25.00 for matching three numbers, chaos has erupted, beggars have come from miles around.”
There was a deafening silence as this astonishing news sunk in among the assembled villagers.
“The good news is, old sourpuss has paid for a surprise party tonight and everyone is invited.”
First a few silent grins, then a snicker and several chuckles, with loud laughter that developed into side-splitting roars of mirth, resounded among the villagers.
Six months later, Bill and Bella quietly sold their house and left the village, never to be seen again. Old sourpuss often wondered about that!
Especially when some workmen arrived to put a new roof on the church, the golf club opened a new club-house and the local school was completely fitted out with new IT equipment. All down to funds provided by lottery grants everyone said.
Copyright © Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.
