It all started on a Wednesday after work at the 7-11 down the street from my crap shack of a house. I went in to buy a big gulp and a kit-kat, but then I saw the lotto tickets and I just had to buy one. I knew my wife would be mad, because she hates when I buy those stupid tickets and waste away my hard earned money, but oh well. I stuck the lottery ticket in my wallet and went home.
That next monday my wife and I were sitting at home watching the evening news. On the news it said that the winner of Saturdays drawings has not claimed their winnings yet and listed the number : 5, 3, 22, 9, 17, and 1. These numbers looked familiar and then all of a sudden I remembered that I bought a ticket last Wednesday. I pulled the ticket out of my wallet with my heart racing, praying that I had won. I looked down at my numbers, jumped off my couch, and started throwing myself a little party in the living room. My wife looked at me with a strange look on her face, until I handed her the ticket and she joined my party too.
After taxes I was left with 9 million dollars. With 9 million dollars I wanted to live my life, I did not want to sit in a small office, so I quit my job. My wife was not to happy with that decision, but she got over it pretty quick after I pulled out the new diamond ring I got her. I started taking her to fancy restaurants, high end nightclubs, and luxury vacations. I met some friends along the way of these nights out, that I started to hang out with quite frequently. These new friends ended up replacing my old ones. These new friends introduced me to a lot of new things, expensive cars, new clothes, and only the finest alcohol. My wife began telling me that I was turning into a complete different person and I was a rich snob who came home every night drunk off of overpriced scotch, but I told her she was acting insane. After every time we got in a fight I would give her jewelry or designer bags, but she was never satisfied. One night I came home from the country club after a night with the boys and found that my wife was not home all her stuff was gone and she left me a note. She told me that the money had turned me into a monster, she told me I fell in love with the money and forgot about her, she could not stand who I had become , and she was leaving me. At the time I thought she was just being ungrateful for not appreciating what I had done for her.
After my wife had left me all I did was spend spend spend. I bought a variety of things, cars, tvs, hot tubs, game systems, and almost every other thing you could think of. But at the end of the day, I was always unsatisfied. No matter what I bought there was always still something missing, and it was her. After endless, sleepless nights of laying in bed I realized what I had lost and what I gained. I missed my wife way more than I could ever love 9 million dollars. I did not want any of these fancy cars or a big house or HD plasma screen tv. Before I had my money no matter how good or bad my day was I was always happy at the end of it falling asleep with my wife by my side.
I never knew six numbers could change my life so much and teach me such a lesson. Everything you learn in life will come at a price. You learn from your mistakes. I learned from my mistakes that money will not give you happiness. Winning the lottery was the worst thing that ever happened to me.