by David Ireland

Created on: June 14, 2008

Workaday slaves, that's a fair description of Ed and Shelley. Ed earned a modest living as a local delivery driver and Shelley turned her hand to cleaning at the local college. A simple life but they enjoyed it, raising four children in a modest, government built, house that they were hoping they would own by the time retirement came around. All the children had left home and things were a little easier financially so they afforded themselves the luxury of an odd flutter on the lottery.

This is not a story about their excitement! Yes, they won. Something in the order of $680,000.00! Make a difference? Sure did! How would you go? Would you spend it or save it? Ed and Shelley took no advice. They both quit their jobs, after all they weren't there for the job satisfaction! Then what? Of course, you guessed! They paid off the mortgage and their children's mortgages too, as you would. They purchased a new vehicle, new furniture for themselves and some for the children. Ah travel! Yes they did some of that too only after inviting and paying for eight of their best buddies. Off to Europe and Asia for thirty days no less!

In the short space of two years, all the money gone nothing left for retirement. Both Ed and Shelley were looking for work and had re-mortgaged the house to survive. Luckily, they did get work and joked about how they'd just had their retirement as a long holiday during their working lives. Luck is a rare animal indeed, it shows favours, yet it demands nothing in return. Now the twist! "As luck would have it", they won the lottery a second time,"only" about $460,000.00.

Yes! Everyone who knew of the situation thought lady luck might have chosen more worthy recipients after the first debacle. Ed and Shelley set out to be a little more circumspect regarding their spendthrift ways. The car was updated, the house mortgage was repaid, the house repainted and a garage built for the car. Yes, they did travel a lot, but by themselves. Looked like a good plan. Within a similar two year time frame, they were both back at work. The children had wheedled quite a lot out of dear old Mum and Dad. The only things different this time, was a little money left and the mortgage was still paid off.

Speaking to Ed and Shelley, there appeared to be a sense of resignation about the whole lottery thing. They seemed to think that they were just working class people who had the opportunity to live the high life for about four years of their lives which was better than they had ever dreamed of. Certainly better than any of their friends and relatives could aspire to. Won't be long now and the motorhome will be blowing smoke along a highway as Ed and Shelley live their real dream albeit a few years late. The Lottery can change lives but it doesn't have to change people.

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