Horace was elated. He’d won something. He’d never won anything in his life, and just like that, he won a lottery. A Mega-millions lottery: or in his case, a mega-thousands lottery.
Horace guessed five out of six numbers correctly. Actually, he didn’t guess the five numbers. He used the jersey numbers from the starting five players of the 1984 Los Angeles Lakers: 5, 32, 33, 42, and 45 (Byron Scott, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, James Worthy, and A.C. Green respectively). He had 31 (Kurt Rambis) for the Powerball number, but number 21 (Michael Cooper’s number) popped up in the final spot. Still, Horace won a little over thirty-thousand dollars. Enough money to go on a trip with his wife.
Horace’s wife, Henrietta was a homebody. She didn’t like to travel much, preferring to stay close to home.
“Come on honey, we can go anywhere you’d like. Paris. Rome. Moab. You name it and we’re there.” Horace pleaded with Henrietta.
“I’m perfectly fine here.” she said. “I didn’t leave anything in any of those places, and I don’t intend to. If you really have an itch to see the world, ask Grant.”
Grant was Horace’s oldest and best friend. The two had shared many experiences over the years. Travel was not one of them.
“Grant is like you.” Horace said to Henrietta. “He’s never been farther than Jerome, and that trip was only because he got lost trying to find Sedona.”
She replied, “I remember that trip. What was it he said when asked about his adventure?”
“He was talking about his trip. Someone asked ‘Jerome?’ He said, ‘No. I went there on purpose.’”
Henrietta said, “Well, I think you should ask him anyway. It would do you two good to get out of the house. And I could use a break.”
Horace called Grant. “Let’s go somewhere, just you and me.” he said over the phone.
Grant replied, “You mean to Suds? It’s not Wednesday afternoon.”
“No. A trip. Anywhere in the world. All expenses paid by me and the millions of other suckers who waste money on lottery tickets, hoping to strike it rich.”
Grant was a little confused. “Are you telling me you’re a gazillionaire or something?”
“Not quite. I won enough money for us to take a trip. Henrietta thinks we should go somewhere; get out of town and explore. What do you think?” Horace asked.
“Anywhere?” Grant asked.
“Anywhere you want to go. Think about it. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
Horace met up with Grant the following morning at Frenchy’s Diner. Over coffee and donuts, they discussed travel.
“Did you think about where you want to go?” Horace asked Grant.
Grant had a list of possible destinations. “Yep. I’m thinking Athens. I’ve always wanted to see the Apocalypse.”
“You’re confused as usual. You mean the Acropolis.”
Grant crossed the first item off his list. “Well then, how about London? We can go see Uncle Ben.”
Horace shook his head. “Where are you getting your information?” he asked.
“I’ve been reading this book by Charles Atlas.”
“Are you referring to the body builder?”
“Yeah. That’s him. He wrote a big old book with lots of maps and stuff.” Grant added.
“I’ve got news for you, Grant. That’s an Atlas. Charles didn’t write it. London has Big Be . . . “
“Never mind. I’ll scratch that one off my list.” Grant lined through London and then said “Maybe the south of France.”
“Now we’re talking.” Horace proclaimed.
Grant responded to Horace’s comment. “Nice.”
Horace replied, pronouncing the name of the French city in a slow, deliberate voice. “Nice.”
“Grant replied, “I don’t want her to come. She smells funny and eats too much.”
“Who are you talking about?” Horace asked.
“My niece Molly. She . . .”
“Stop it Grant. You’re starting to annoy me.”
“Sorry Horace.” Grant looked at his list again. “Maybe we could go to the Sahara Desert.”
“What makes you want to go there?”
“I was watching football on TV the other day. Joe Buck was announcing. He talked about a trip he made to Mali. He took his wife Michelle and his brother Tim Buck too.”
“Dammit Grant! Would you get serious? I’m offering to take you on a trip anywhere in the world, and you’re making fun of my offer.”
“Sorry Horace. It’s just that I’ve never really been anywhere. Okay, how about Italy? I’ve always wanted to see the ruins.”
Horace finally looked pleased. He responded. “Rome?”
Grant replied, “No. Let’s make an itinerary.”