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[sandygsj-blog]

Eric

Eric turned 19 finally. He had waited for day for… well 19 years. Finally, he was allowed to move out from home into his own apartment, get his own car, and live his own life. Well, his parents were going to buy him the apartment and the car, of course. He would finally step out of that prison and be able to go out and party, drink and do all of the things he had wanted but could not do when he was living at home. Apparently, to his parents, the fine line between child and adult was the 19th birthday of their son.

 His two best friends, Peter and Michael, came to celebrate with him. Their first stop: the liquor store. They really had not had much taste for alcohol except for the occasional sips during dinner parties, so they grabbed as much variety as they could. Beers, wines, spirits, ciders, whiskeys, scotch…. You name it, they had it. After all, it was not their credit card they were using so price really was not an issue.

 On their way home, they passed by the local seven eleven. As excited as ever, Eric was determined to try all of the things his parents had forbade him. He ran in to grab a pack of cigarettes. When the cashier asked for ID, he grimaced at the thought that she was doubting him. He reached in his pocket and flashed his ID proudly again as if to say that the card proved his adulthood. He decided to buy a lottery ticket on his way out of spite as that was also something with an age restriction. He picked the first 5 numbers that came to mind and rushed out the store to join his friends.

 As he got home, Eric hurried to open the alcohol and the pack of cigarettes with his friends, tossing his lottery ticket to the side. They eagerly opened the liquors, wanting to get a taste of the drinks and take a puff of the cigarettes. Michael fumbled with the lighter for what appeared to be an eternity, obviously inexperienced with using one. As each of them tried to smoke one after the other, each coughed one after the other. Eric wondered how his dad and his friends had ever been able smoke when it was this uncomfortable.

 Now onto the alcohol. They attempted to start with the hard liquor and had prepared nice scotch glasses just for this occasion. However, their attempt did not fare much better than it did earlier with the cigarettes. Each tried to take a gulp, and each spat it out in disgust. These attempts at adulthood really was not working for Eric.

 And there sat Eric’s lottery ticket, all but forgotten. The numbers 32 02 14 06 20 still clearly printed on them.

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Saida

Saida smiled as her daughter ran chasing after their new puppy. There wasn’t much room for them to run around in as living in the city as a single-parent was quite expensive. Yes, their home was small, but it was cozy.

 Ever since her husband left her two years ago, she had been trying her best to make ends meet for her daughter. A new puppy was not going to make expenses any easier, but Sima had wanted a pet for so long. Plus, Saida was out working long hours and wanted a companion for Sima. Before, she had hoped for a sibling, but seeing the situation now, a puppy seemed a more plausible solution.

 While her marriage had not been the traditional arranged marriage, their union had been the will from both families. Her role had been very straight-forward- as had her mother’s- be a good wife and mother. However, she had received higher level education, and a little voice in her head had always told her this was not the way to go. Yet, for so many years, she had chosen to ignore it. After all, her husband was handsome, rich and a gentleman. They had a lot in common due to similar upbringings. The first few years, everything was bliss. However, her relationship with her husband had been rocky ever since their apparent inability to conceive a child. Without even consulting a doctor, his family pointed fingers at her. Even when she was holding medical proof that it was not her problem, they still muttered behind closed doors that she had brought misfortune to the family lineage. Then, after countless consultations and different attempts, they became pregnant. Unfortunately, all the different consultations, some with questionable doctors, coupled with her stress had caused complications during labour. She was told she would not be able to have another child.

 As Sima is a daughter rather than a son, this became the reason why her husband’s family demanded a divorce. They saw no other solution to this apparent problem. She had once felt so loved and protected being a stay-at-home wife, but there was such a fine line between protected and trapped.

 “Mommy, lottery time!” Her daughter yelled.

 It was their ritual. She had left the relationship almost penniless and her family had refused to support her saying she had somehow disgraced them. While she knew the chances of winning the lottery were extremely low, it was their sliver of hope out of her situation. She always picked the same numbers: 32, the age at which she divorced; 14 06 20, her daughter birthday on June 20th , 2014; and 02, the number of years she has made it out on her own without family or man.

 As the winning numbers were announced, Saida sat there dumbfounded. Then, she had hot tears streaming down her face as she kissed her daughter.

[sandygsj-blog]

Cindy

Cindy steps onto her balcony, taking a deep breath. The rain has finally stopped and the air smells like a mix of wet soil and grass despite being 20 floors above ground. The calm after a thunderstorm is one of her very favourite moments in this city sleepless city. It is that fraction of time where people have already scurried indoors securely to avoid the downpour but just before they realize the rain has stopped and scurry back out towards their destination. Soon, the calm is interrupted by distant car horns and the silence disappears as suddenly as it had come.

 It was a Friday night. 10 years ago, her Friday nights would run into Saturday mornings while she was dressed up with a full face of makeup and out with her friends making a ruckus. Now, she gets tired at 11pm. Her idea of a fun Friday night is sitting on her bed sipping tea, reading a book and enjoying the quiet while hoping her overly loud neighbours will be quiet today. Oh, the irony.

 As Cindy readies for bed, she stares blankly at the mirror. Years of partying, heavy makeup, late nights and poor diets are showing on her pale face. She is only 32 years old, but there are hints of fine lines that are showing on her face. She feels old. As if the

 For the past couple years, Cindy’s life has been confined between her work and her little condo unit that she downs. Well, that the bank owns. It was not that she had lost interest in her old life, but rather than responsibilities were catching up to her. She was well beyond the age of her parents bailing her out when she made mistakes.

 She picked up her lottery ticket that she had purchased on a whim earlier that day. She was not a gambler… anymore. Well, not since she had gambled 7 years of feelings into her last relationship. However, the ad for the $200 million dollars lot was strangely appealing sitting all by its lonesome in the corner beneath the glass at her go-to corner store. And it wasn’t as if she could not afford the $2 to purchase it.

 Now, the rain had stopped, the city was loud and busy once more. Her tea had gone cold and her book was finished. All that was left was now was that ticket in her purse. She had picked the 5 numbers that were of the most significance to her. 32, her age; 02 14; Valentine’s day and the day her ex broke up with her; 06, the number of years she had been with her company; and 20, the age she longed to go back to.

 She looked up the winning numbers: 32 02 14 06 20

 She had won. She had won two hundred million dollars.