I am a long-lived person in our family. Recently I turned 85 years old, I have two children, two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. That’s how big and friendly our family is.
— Grandma, everything is fine, — my granddaughter reassured me on the phone — It’s just that the son of the landlady of the apartment has returned from abroad, and I need to move out. I’ll probably move in with a friend for a while.
— Oh… My poor girl. And you’ll be wandering around in other people’s corners all your life…
— Come on, Gran, this is the fate of all students. It’s also good that I managed to find a job on weekends. Veronica laughed.
— It’s a pity that Sasha can’t help you in any way…
Veronica’s cousin was paying off the loan for the apartment, he and his wife were barely making ends meet. Parents, of course, helped them as much as they could. But salaries are not so great now. And from me, help is like milk from a cat — with this penny pension, I barely survive myself. Thanks to the children, they don’t leave their mother.
After a while, I was passing by our store and noticed that a small stall was set up nearby. It turned out that lottery tickets would be sold there. It would be better to do something else, more useful for people, otherwise these pranks… Only people are fooled. But when a week later my neighbor won 500 rubles from them, I decided it was worth the risk.
The next day I went to the stall. I bought a ticket. My hands are shaking with excitement. Of course, in his old age to embark on such adventures. After all, I had never gambled before, it was an instant lottery. You just need to erase the protective layer on one of the windows with a coin. And it’s immediately clear whether she won or not. No need to wait long — it is very convenient and relatively inexpensive.
— I congratulate you! You have won a thousand rubles! — the saleswoman was delighted. I couldn’t believe my eyes. To get lucky right away, and even “and such an amount. Wow!
So, now I will take and replenish my granddaughter’s account on a mobile phone. And then she constantly calls me, transfers money. I bought grandma a new phone for the anniversary, with a big screen and large buttons. So I will please her. Nika called just an hour later.
— Grandma, I don’t understand anything. I have a whole 1,000 rubles in my account. I wonder who is so generous? Did the little brother get rich?..
“No,” she laughed back. — This is your grandmother sent a present.
“Thanks, but you don’t have to do this. I know what your pension is…
— Don’t worry, it’s just that an old debt has been returned to me here, which I’ve already forgotten about.
— The debt was returned? Okay, then… Tell me, how are you doing? What’s up, little brother? We chatted a little more, and Veronica said goodbye. She had to pack her things—she had to move today.
I don’t know why I lied to my granddaughter about the money. Why did you drag in some nonexistent debt? Probably just didn’t want her to laugh at an old lady who suddenly succumbed to the excitement of the game. After thinking about it, I decided that if I am doing so well, then I will continue to play. I bought lottery tickets every morning. Nothing happened for 3 days, and then I won 200 rubles. A day later, another 200, then there were pacifiers. And on the weekend, luck smiled again — another 1,000 rubles!
I was obviously very lucky. Even a young saleswoman admitted this.
— Victoria Sergeevna, I have never seen a person win so often in my life. How do you manage it?
— I just really want to help my grandchildren. They’re so wonderful. The best in the world!
I knew perfectly well that Sasha would not take a day from me. He’s a proud guy. But you can do the weight cunningly. I’ll buy something for my great-grandchildren. My grandson will not be able to forbid me in any way!
Sasha was very surprised when he saw me on the doorstep with huge bags.
— Grandma? Why didn’t you call that you were coming? I’d pick you up.
— I decided to surprise you! Take the bags, heavy ones. There are toys, fruits and juices for Vova and Tolya.
— Grandma, is it the New Year today? Or robbed a bank on the way to us? My sister told me that you recently replenished her account, now you have come to us with gifts. What’s going on anyway?
— Nothing like that, I just missed you. We had a wonderful evening. The great-grandchildren boasted of their success at school, the grandson and his wife tell me! about business at work.
But when I arrived home, the good mood had disappeared somewhere. I won’t really help my family with my small winnings. If only there were as many as 100,000 at once… or whatever the maximum amount is in this lottery. And so… One penny… Well, okay, thanks for that, too.
From that day on, something strange began to happen to me. In principle, I could not boast of a particularly sound sleep before. But here insomnia just tormented. She tossed and turned from one side to the other all night and only in the morning plunged into a light doze. I woke up every 5 minutes from fantastic dreams in which I won so much money that I could buy an apartment for Niki, pay off Sasha’s loan, send all my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to rest at sea. Then I couldn’t sleep again and was angry at this world where only the rich can be truly happy.
But the worst thing is that lately I have spent on the lottery the money that was set aside for medicines.
And I’ve already run out of some of them. I thought that soon I would definitely win so much that I would have enough for new ones. And the next day I went to get tickets.
— Good afternoon, Victoria Sergeevna! — the saleswoman greeted. — How many tickets are you buying today? 10?
I mentally counted the money.
— No, let’s make it eight. With shaking hands, she took the tickets and, with difficulty catching her breath, began to erase the protective coating. My head was spinning, my heart was pounding like crazy. The first ticket is nothing. The second one is also passing by. Third… Fifth… Seventh…
Every time there was a hope that now there would be a win, I would buy the missing medicines, and it would immediately get better. But now it was the turn of the eighth. Nothing… The hands dropped. Everything is gone.
“Is something wrong?” — the saleswoman was scared when she saw how pale I was. — You didn’t win anything? Don’t worry. Maybe next time…
— Yes, next time… Goodbye! I turned around and wanted to leave. Suddenly everything went dark before my eyes… I woke up already in the hospital. A pale and frightened grandson was sitting by the bed.
— How are you feeling? Just don’t get up, it’s bad for you to move now. You’ve got us so confused…
— Okay, what are you doing here?
— Your neighbors called me. They saw you being taken away by an ambulance.
— Big deal, dizzy.
“They don’t joke with such things at your age,” the grandson said seriously.
“How nice of you to remind me of my age,” I snorted.
— Grandma, we love you very much. I talked to the doctor. You should take your medication regularly… Do you understand?
— But I accept…
— no! The doctor said you’re not taking it! Why did you buy us gifts instead of the necessary medicines?
— I just forgot…
— I was told that they found a stack of lottery tickets in your possession. Is that where the money comes from? Did you win them? Promise me you won’t do anything stupid like that again.
— I promise. I whispered.
— Grandma, we love you not for gifts, but for what you are, — said the grandson.
— I wanted to help… It’s so hard for you…
— It would be harder for us without you!
After this incident, I began to value not money, but relationships with loved ones…
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