Here's a Game Story. I would suggest that you write out your continuation in a word processor and then post it here. Also, begin your continuation with "Following Post #__" That will, hopefully, make it less confusing to read.
It was, of course, not exactly the right thing to do. But, was it really wrong? Everyone else in the office was participating. And he was the new guy. All the same… He pulled the ticket out of his pocket and looked at it. Just some random numbers on a piece of paper. It cost him a dollar. Wasn’t acceptance by his new colleagues worth a dollar? Still, Travis was pretty sure he should not be gambling. And even if it was the state education lottery, it was gambling. He put the ticket back in his pocket, sat down at his desk, and started work.
At break he saw Eric and said, “Hey, Eric, I saw your show last night. You’re really good. Eric only mumbled a “Thanks” and quickly headed into the men’s room. Travis got a cup of coffee and bought a doughnut from the machine. When Marlene came in he gave her his lottery ticket. She got out the ticket log and made the proper notation, then put the ticket in a little bag.
Then she said, apparently to Travis, but loud enough for everyone to hear, “I sure am glad we take turns doing this. I’d hate to have to be the one to do it every week.” Travis just nodded. He looked at the schedule on the wall next to the soda machine. His turn next week, then Eric. That was interesting. It must mean that Marlene had been hired just before him and Eric was in the lottery pool from its inception.
He turned to walk back to his desk when Eric appeared. He looked a little odd, and pulled Travis aside. “Hey, thanks for the complement, but I really don’t want my other job discussed in here.” He smiled a fake smile at Travis, turned and walked away.
Travis stared at Eric’s back. He wondered why Eric would not want anyone to know he was a magician. Or was it that he did not want anyone to know he had a second job? From what Travis had seen, Eric was a superb showman. His magic was not up to Penn and Teller standards, but it was quite good. True, many of the tricks were magic show standards, but Eric had put a showmanship twist on them. He shrugged and went back to work.
The Lottery drawing was Friday evening. On Monday during lunch Marlene took all ten lottery tickets and spread them out on a table. Then she compared the tickets to the numbers she had written down. She looked up and announced to everyone, “No winners this week. Here, Travis, your turn.”
Travis accepted the clipboard and the little bag that was attached to it. Someone said, “Hey Travis, why don’t you check to make sure Marlene didn’t miss anything?” He looked at her. She smiled and said, “Two heads are better than one.” So Travis took the little stack of tickets and compared it to the numbers she had written down. Then someone else stuck their smartphone in front of him and said, “Better use the official numbers.” Travis nodded and checked the tickets.
He looked up and said, “No go. She’s right. No winners. Not even a dollar.” There were a few groans. Then somebody said, “Well, you’ll bring us luck. won’t you?”
Travis looked up and said, “Sure. It’s all in the way the numbers are checked.” Everyone laughed.
The next Monday at lunch he spread out the tickets like Marlene had done. Then he took each one and compared them to the official numbers on his phone. There were two $150.00 winners. Everyone would get thirty dollars. Someone said, “See, we told you that you would bring us luck.”
Jose said, “Well, not so much. Since we started we have lost $3.oo each!” A frustrated moan erupted. Jose interrupted it with, “...but it’s okay, because Eric will bring us good luck this week.” Travis gave him the clipboard with the little bag. That brought a small cheer and a couple of semi-loud ‘Go Eric’ shouts. Eric just smiled.
Monday was filled with rumored anticipation. Nancy said that her ticket had won $65,000. So the break room was crowded when Travis entered. The only seat he could find was behind Eric and to his left. Travis could see Eric’s hands, but not his face.
Eric spread out the ten tickets and checked each one. Then shook his head and said, “No big winner.” He held up one ticket and said, “This one is for $50.00.” and put it back on top of the stack. Travis, who could only see the backside of Eric’s hands, saw something odd. Eric seemed to try to palm a ticket. He could see Eric ‘flick’ the ticket. But an odd thing happened. The ticket fluttered quietly to the floor.
He sat there, stunned. Did Eric do that on purpose? Was it an accident? Which ticket was it? He almost said something. But curiosity got the better of him. He sat silently, watching. The ticket just lay on the floor. He slowly ate his lunch and waited until everyone was out of the room. Then he reached down and picked up the ticket.
Now it's your turn. Have fun!
It was, of course, not exactly the right thing to do. But, was it really wrong? Everyone else in the office was participating. And he was the new guy. All the same… He pulled the ticket out of his pocket and looked at it. Just some random numbers on a piece of paper. It cost him a dollar. Wasn’t acceptance by his new colleagues worth a dollar? Still, Travis was pretty sure he should not be gambling. And even if it was the state education lottery, it was gambling. He put the ticket back in his pocket, sat down at his desk, and started work.
At break he saw Eric and said, “Hey, Eric, I saw your show last night. You’re really good. Eric only mumbled a “Thanks” and quickly headed into the men’s room. Travis got a cup of coffee and bought a doughnut from the machine. When Marlene came in he gave her his lottery ticket. She got out the ticket log and made the proper notation, then put the ticket in a little bag.
Then she said, apparently to Travis, but loud enough for everyone to hear, “I sure am glad we take turns doing this. I’d hate to have to be the one to do it every week.” Travis just nodded. He looked at the schedule on the wall next to the soda machine. His turn next week, then Eric. That was interesting. It must mean that Marlene had been hired just before him and Eric was in the lottery pool from its inception.
He turned to walk back to his desk when Eric appeared. He looked a little odd, and pulled Travis aside. “Hey, thanks for the complement, but I really don’t want my other job discussed in here.” He smiled a fake smile at Travis, turned and walked away.
Travis stared at Eric’s back. He wondered why Eric would not want anyone to know he was a magician. Or was it that he did not want anyone to know he had a second job? From what Travis had seen, Eric was a superb showman. His magic was not up to Penn and Teller standards, but it was quite good. True, many of the tricks were magic show standards, but Eric had put a showmanship twist on them. He shrugged and went back to work.
The Lottery drawing was Friday evening. On Monday during lunch Marlene took all ten lottery tickets and spread them out on a table. Then she compared the tickets to the numbers she had written down. She looked up and announced to everyone, “No winners this week. Here, Travis, your turn.”
Travis accepted the clipboard and the little bag that was attached to it. Someone said, “Hey Travis, why don’t you check to make sure Marlene didn’t miss anything?” He looked at her. She smiled and said, “Two heads are better than one.” So Travis took the little stack of tickets and compared it to the numbers she had written down. Then someone else stuck their smartphone in front of him and said, “Better use the official numbers.” Travis nodded and checked the tickets.
He looked up and said, “No go. She’s right. No winners. Not even a dollar.” There were a few groans. Then somebody said, “Well, you’ll bring us luck. won’t you?”
Travis looked up and said, “Sure. It’s all in the way the numbers are checked.” Everyone laughed.
The next Monday at lunch he spread out the tickets like Marlene had done. Then he took each one and compared them to the official numbers on his phone. There were two $150.00 winners. Everyone would get thirty dollars. Someone said, “See, we told you that you would bring us luck.”
Jose said, “Well, not so much. Since we started we have lost $3.oo each!” A frustrated moan erupted. Jose interrupted it with, “...but it’s okay, because Eric will bring us good luck this week.” Travis gave him the clipboard with the little bag. That brought a small cheer and a couple of semi-loud ‘Go Eric’ shouts. Eric just smiled.
Monday was filled with rumored anticipation. Nancy said that her ticket had won $65,000. So the break room was crowded when Travis entered. The only seat he could find was behind Eric and to his left. Travis could see Eric’s hands, but not his face.
Eric spread out the ten tickets and checked each one. Then shook his head and said, “No big winner.” He held up one ticket and said, “This one is for $50.00.” and put it back on top of the stack. Travis, who could only see the backside of Eric’s hands, saw something odd. Eric seemed to try to palm a ticket. He could see Eric ‘flick’ the ticket. But an odd thing happened. The ticket fluttered quietly to the floor.
He sat there, stunned. Did Eric do that on purpose? Was it an accident? Which ticket was it? He almost said something. But curiosity got the better of him. He sat silently, watching. The ticket just lay on the floor. He slowly ate his lunch and waited until everyone was out of the room. Then he reached down and picked up the ticket.
Now it's your turn. Have fun!
