Fortune Favors The …

Signs were everywhere as he coasted into the gas station. On his dashboard, a yellow Low Fuel light next to the orange Check Engine one. On his cell phone, pop-up messages and a red battery indicator that was down to four percent — the charging cord and his wallet both forgotten on his dresser. He had ten dollars in his pocket though, and that was fortunate. It should be enough. It had to be.

A black and white sign on the gas pump, Prepay Only. He hated going inside. On the store window, a colored flashing sign lit up like a Vegas casino, Powerball Jackpot $1.4 Billion. He sat behind the wheel, dazed. He couldn’t even fathom that much money. He opened a browser on his phone, now down to just two percent — enough for a phone call still, maybe.

His odds were better of being struck by lightning twenty thousand times, but, God, it was so much money! And someone was going to win it. He could buy a car that didn’t leak oil all over the driveway. They could buy a house that didn’t leak water all over the basement.

The engine rattled as he switched it off, and he swore. The doorbell chimed as he stepped inside the store. He approached the attendant, still fingering the ten-dollar bill in his pocket.

4 thoughts on “Fortune Favors The …”

  1. Ahh, this exemplifies the desperation of making ends meet. Nothing like having to go in the gas station to ruin your afternoon.

    1. For real. Every time the digital message at the pump says, “Receipt failed to print. Please see attendant,” I’m like, nope, don’t need it that badly.

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