When a co-worker reported that she was getting together a pool to play Powerball this week, because the jackpot was particularly high, I said no, like I always do. I have never bought a lottery ticket in my life, and my gambling never goes beyond the occasional contribution to a 50/50 for a good cause. Heck, I took a trip to Vegas last year, and I didn’t gamble a dime.
I really don’t give a rip about the $99,800,000, before taxes, which, when divided up, amounts to $5.3 million per person after taxes. I am convinced that that amount of money, by itself, wouldn’t add to my happiness. And if I did the math I am sure that I would discover that even at that number, the odds would still be in the government’s favor.
But then I realized that if they did win, work could become a really lonely place. 20 or so co-workers, gone like yesterday. And then 10 people’s work would, within a few weeks, be all piled on me. [I exaggerate slightly.]
Suddenly, the $2.00 contribution to the lottery seemed a lot less like gambling, and a lot more like some form of sanity insurance…
