Celebrating My Freedom

CELEBRATING MY FREEDOM

NADINE NAPEAR

My life would have been so much easier (but not nearly as exciting) if I had only waited one more day before I ventured into the casino to celebrate my impending divorce. But I wanted to forget my third failed marriage, this time to a man who I thought was my soul mate. Instead, Louis tried to steal my soul and turn me into something I wasn’t – a 1950’s housewife. Someone to do the cooking and cleaning while he worked and went out at night with his friends. He had even wanted me to quit my job, but in an act of defiance, I refused. This marriage lasted less than three years – my shortest one yet – and was to end tomorrow.
But tonight, I was celebrating my new-found freedom. So I went to my local casino, something I had been prohibited from doing during our marriage. As I put my money into the slot machines, I thought about him each time I pushed the button, getting angrier with each push, until I was eventually pounding it. (At one point, a security guard came over and asked me to ease up. I was embarrassed as I explained my situation. While he sympathized with my plight, he again asked me to remember that this was only a machine and not my soon-to-be ex-husband.)
I was down to my last twenty dollars and decided to do something I had rarely done before - play the state-wide Megabucks machine. The jackpot was now over $22,000,000 and I thought this would be a perfect way to end my lack-luster night. At three dollars a pop, and having hit only small amounts so far, I now was down to my last three dollars. My last roll and then I was going home. I pushed the button. One by one, the Megabucks symbols appeared in each column. Suddenly, bells started going off, the machine froze up and I sat there staring at it in disbelief. I had hit the jackpot. $22,346,520.26. Of all the machines, throughout the state of Nevada, and I had picked the right machine, at the right time. I couldn’t believe it. People came running from all over the casino; some were patting me on my back; some were yelling congratulations; some were just yelling.
When the casino manager came over to congratulate me, I was barely able to either hear or understand him. I was in shock. JuanCarlos led me into a private office and started putting papers in front of me to sign. When it came to the box where I had to check whether I was married or single, I hesitated. Which one was I? I looked at my watch, but it had stopped. The battery must have died. I looked around the office for a wall clock and found none. JuanCarlos, seeing my obvious distress, asked me if something was wrong.
“What time is it?” I asked him.
Quizzically, he looked at me, then looked at his watch. “12:10,” he answered.
“Great,” I replied, and checked the box marked single. My ex-husband could not lay claim to the money I had won. It was after midnight and we were now officially divorced.
I took home a check in the amount of $17,877,216. The next day, I contacted my financial advisor and met with her to figure out how to invest my new-found wealth.
I had so many plans for this money including travel, a new car, and a new home. I quit my job and did the volunteer work I had always wanted to do, but never had the time for. I donated large sums of money to all the charities which previously had only received a pittance from me. I was finally living the life I had always dreamed about. I couldn’t have been happier.
Three months later, I received a certified letter from.my ex-husband’s attorney demanding half of my winnings under the Nevada community property statute. I laughed, then realized the seriousness of my predicament. I had signed the papers at 12:10 AM, but at what time had I actually won the jackpot?
I immediately contacted my divorce lawyer and set up a meeting for the next day. I arrived at his office with all of my paperwork and as he looked it over, I started to realize the error of my ways. Why hadn’t I waited until the next day to go gambling? What if I had to give my ex-husband over eight million dollars? True, I would still have plenty of money left, but the thought of him getting half made my blood boil.
“You may have a problem here, Ms. Cantrell,” he said. “I’ll call the casino to see if they can give me an accurate time on your win. Oh, and by the way, congratulations.”
“Thank you,” I responded and watched nervously as he placed the call.
Ten minutes later, he hung up the phone and smiled. “You’re in luck. According to their records, you hit the jackpot at exactly 12:01 and 30 seconds. You’re in the clear; the money is all yours.”
I left his office with the biggest smile I’ve had on my face since I won the money and thanked God for my timing. If I’d hit the jackpot just two minutes earlier, things would have been very different. And had I waited until the next day to go gambling, I may not have hit it at all. So screw you, Louis, and have a happy life without me or my money. As for me, I am going to enjoy spending every last dime of it.