Prelude

Don Graham had spent three dollars for a lottery ticket. He was at the store, buying bread and milk on his way home from his job. He didn't usually buy the tickets, feeling the odds were far too great, but the change from the ten-dollar bill he had given the clerk at the convenience store came to three dollars and some change.

When the clerk asked if he wanted any tickets, he shook his head. She was handing him the change when he said, "What the hell, give me three dollars worth. Easy picks."

It was a few days later when the news announced the winning ticket had been sold in the neighborhood where Don lived with his family. A week later, Don checked the numbers on his ticket to the ones in the paper.

"What's the matter?" Marge, Don's wife, asked. "You look like you saw a ghost."

Don checked and rechecked the numbers. Each time he did, they matched one of the lines on his ticket.

"Marge, call Marc and Anne. Tell them to get over here," Don said.

"Why, what's wrong?"

"Honey, nothing is wrong, nothing at all. I just need you to call Marc and my sister."

While Marge called Marc and Anne's house, Don sat in his chair staring at the ticket. He read the back, took out a pen and signed it.

Marc, Anne and their two children, Tom and Sally came over a few minutes later. Don called his own two children to join the families in the living room.

"We just won the lottery," Don said.

Marc shook his head, accusing his brother in law of pulling his leg. Anne and Marge looked at Don, knowing immediately he was serious. Once the reality of what was happening set in, the two families began hooting and hollering.

"You lucky shit!" Marc said, slapping Don on the back.

Don told everyone to sit down. He looked at his family, smiling as he gathered his thoughts.

Marc and Marge were siblings, just like Don and Anne. They began dating in high school and married, brothers marrying sisters. Times were difficult as the two young couples began their families. They had moved to Michigan in hopes of finding jobs in the auto plants, but settled for work in a small shop.

As their families grew, the two couples remained close. They shared the bad times as well as the good. So, when Don realized he had the winning ticket, he never considered not sharing the good fortune.

"Marc, Anne, Marge, we all won. We will share the money," Don said.

Anne and Marc were spellbound at first, but knew they would have done the same thing.

After a few days, Marc and Don found an attorney and a money manager. They listened as the two men laid out a plan for them, paying close attention to the suggestions they offered.

When all was said and done, the amount of money they received was just over thirty two million dollars. They went on a spending spree, moving from their small homes to large houses. The money manager made sound investments, parlaying the money into many more millions of dollars.