A Little More Free

Fran sat at the table by the window with a lottery ticket in his hands. A scratch ticket.

It was May, the weather was gorgeous, the buds were ready to burst into bloom - such a gorgeous, hopeful time of year. Fran worshipped May.

His wife Joan was out riding her bike. Fran admired her commitment to health. She beat back age with a two by four. Fran was not quite as committed, but he did what he could. Rode an exercise bike 4 or 5 days a week 20 minutes at a clip, did some phony baloney weight work to combat flabby old man arms. It wasn't over the top, but at least he wasn't sedentary.

Besides his job kept him moving. He worked part time on a horse farm owned by a friend of his. He loved being outdoors, loved the physicality of the work, and he loved the horses. It was a good job that brought him peace.

Fran was good with his hands, good around the house. He built the end tables in the living room, a bookcase in the den. He could fix most anything that went wrong, which was a good trait to have given the fact that he and Joan had lived in this house for 37 years.

The kids were grown and gone, but the two cats and a dog - Butch, Sundance and Ralph - were worthy replacements.

All in all, Fran and Joan had a pretty comfortable life.

Fran looked down at the ticket once more and shook his head. He brushed the shavings off the table, into his hand and dumped them into the plastic trash bucket next to him.

$250,000. He had just won $250,000. He never worried much about money, but when he realized what he had in his hand he suddenly felt lighter. A little more free.

Joan walked in from her ride and said "Wow, it is such a beautiful day. I really wish you would ride with me."

Fran said "You know what? You are right. Let's go out and buy me a bike. Today."

Then he told her about the scratch ticket. Joan laughed until she cried. Fran stood and wrapped his arms around his extraordinary wife.

Before either one knew what was happening, they were waltzing around the living room.