I don't ever expect to win the lottery, mainly because I don't play, but at one time, I was a big winner. It was back in the late 70's when I attended the national convention of the National Education Association in Los Angeles.

NEA, like other such large organizations dabbles in insurance, travel and other fields supposedly to get group rates and save money for members. I wonder if they don't make a little extra for their own budget, but that keeps member dues down.

Anyway, NEA travel was having a drawing to give away a trip. It probably also helped them compile a mailing list and gave them a chance to hand out travel materials. The trip was a week in London, complete with hotel, air travel, transfers, etc.

There were about 6000 members present, representing their local associations, and most of them passed by the NEA travel booth and filled out little slips of paper to drop in the drum. Word was out that they didn't care how many you put in so I stood there and filled out about a dozen. Some members dropped in hundreds.

On the day of the drawing, they pulled out a slip with the name of a man I didn't know. His wife was there, but he wasn't. The rules plainly stated that you have to be present to win. His wife had no idea where he was, but she organized a search. It was fruitless and after about 15 minutes, the crowd began to chant
"Draw! Draw! Draw!" So they drew out another slip and it was mine.

At first, I wasn't sure I heard it right, but when they read it again, I stepped up and said, "I believe that's me." They checked my driver's license and the NEA membership list and confirmed that it was indeed me.

You would have thought I had been elected president. Hundreds of people wanted to shake my hand. They asked questions like, "Have you ever been to London?" "Are you married, and if you aren't would you like to be?" "How many slips did you fill out?" "Have you ever won anything before?" "Is your wife here?" "If your wife can't go, can I go with you?"

I heard comments like, "If I couldn't win, I'm glad somebody else from Tennessee did." "This is your 15 minutes of fame." "You beat some really long odds."

It was a great trip. It must have been, because it added $600 to our income tax. As much as we enjoyed London and a side trip to Wales, I am surprised that we have never been back. Maybe this year.
Howard