I know almost every legal thing I can do as a 18 year old, in the US and beyond. So you can bet that buying a lottery ticket was definitely on my 18th birthday wish list. Coming home from my failed San Francisco trip, a story for another post, I decided to fork out a whole dollar and buy a scratch off. The odds of me actually winning aren't high enough for me to spend any more than that on a piece of paper. Here's how it went;
I walked up to the counter, meeting the young cashier in the eyes.
Me-"Do you guys have, like dollar lottery ticket?"
Young girl who was most likely my age-"Yes."
"I'd like to buy one."
"Okay, they're over here."
I moved down the counter, after hesitating for a second because I had no clue that there were options, over look the lottery scratch offs that are all resting in huge rolls below the glass.
"Theres two right here."
"These two?"
"Yes."
The woman pointed out the two dollar ones that had and said those were it. In all honestly I had no clue what the difference was between the two so I did what any logical sensible person would do; I chose the one with the prettier colors. Before she tore it off, she asked to see my ID; something I was more than willing to show. Though as she entered in the numbers and doubled check me, the sense of being rejected because I was too young hung in my stomach in fear.
"One dollar."
"Here, and I'm sorry, I have no clue what I'm doing."
I was cleared, and once I paid my dollar, given my ticket. Stepping to the side, I looked at the ticket, unsure of what to do. I had never seen anyone play any type of scratch off; ever. Looking to my sister, I asked her what I do, and she said to just scratch it off.
But what if I win something but scratched it wrong? Then I'd lose the money!
The ticket had small writing in one corner that explained the ticket but didn't give institutions.
So I stood there for a good five minutes, like a bozo reading the ticket, holding it up into the light and trying to laugh off my embarrassment as a few people started to look. My mum came to get me at that point, and I climbed into the car; where I finally got out a penny and scratched off the ticket.
And I am please to say I lost a dollar. I don't think I'll be buying another lotto ticket any time soon, but I'm happy I got that awkward experience done in a random place I'll most likely never go back to... I hope.
