Did I Mention I Won The Lottery? Read Free

it out next to the screen. Her hand shaking, she reached for
the phone and dialled.
    ‘Hello. Er… I’m
Rebecca. Rebecca Miles. I’ve got…I have…. I think I’ve won the
lottery.’
    30 minutes
later Rebecca was sitting in her favourite chair in the
conservatory, a brandy in her hand as she watched a robin hopping
around the garden. Her toes were almost blue with cold and her hand
still shook slightly as she lifted the glass to her lips. She
really ought to find her slippers, she thought but didn’t move from
her chair.
    A very nice
lady called Leslie from the Lottery Help line had spoken to her.
She had validated Rebecca’s ticket and confirmed that she had
indeed won 15.7 million pounds. She had waited calmly as Rebecca
lost the power of speech, sympathised as she burst into tears and
had tried to give her a little practical advice which was all
falling on deaf ears. In the end they had agreed that she would
speak to Rebecca tomorrow after the shock had worn off a little.
They would talk about the team of people who would be on hand to
guide Rebecca through the legalities of winning so much money,
offer her investment advice and generally look after her.
    The only
decision Rebecca had already made was about publicity. When Leslie
told her that a team would deal with it all in her behalf, she was
quite, quite clear that this would remain private. No publicity at
all,
    ‘That’s not a
problem at all Rebecca. If you don’t want to go public that’s okay.
But these things have a habit of coming out anyway. You tell your
neighbour and she tells her friend and they tell someone at the pub
and pretty soon everyone knows. If you want to go public we’ll
help, we’ll protect you as much as possible and help you deal with
it. But if you turn down the publicity team you’ll be on your own
when everyone in the street is knocking on your door wanting a
share. It’s surprising how many people suddenly remember you as
their long lost friend and feel that you should be sharing the
wealth - and I have to say families are often the worst ones!’
    But Rebecca had
been firm - no publicity. She didn’t tell Leslie that there was no
chance of anyone in the street finding out because she hadn’t told
a soul, not even her husband. But she assured Leslie that since
checking the numbers she had been very discreet and she didn’t feel
publicity would be a problem and she promised that she would follow
Leslie’s advice and tell only her nearest and dearest until she had
met with the Lottery team.
    She needed to
meet someone as soon as possible and in the meantime she had
followed Leslie’s advice and written her name and address on the
back of the ticket. She hadn’t put it in a safe place, it was still
clutched in her hand.
    As the
conversation drew to a close Rebecca had a final question.
    ‘There couldn’t
be a mistake could there? I mean, I have definitely won?’
    Leslie
chuckled, it was clear that this wasn’t the first time she had been
asked this question as she assured Rebecca that there was
absolutely no mistake. She had won 15.7 million pounds. Her life
had changed forever.

    So now Rebecca
was sitting in the chair, gazing out onto the garden knowing that
in a few days there would be millions of pounds in her bank
account. Leslie had mentioned it might be an idea to have a word
with her bank manager and mention that a large amount of money
would be arriving shortly. She should also get herself a lawyer -
it was a lot of money to suddenly be responsible for. When Leslie
had asked for bank account details, Rebecca had paused for the
briefest of seconds before she gave the number. It was an account
Rebecca had held for years. She would squirrel away money during
the year and then use it to buy the children’s Christmas and
birthday presents. As they got older she started putting away
whatever she could whenever she could and now she used it to help
them out when they were down to their last tin of beans, had