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We all have dreams and winning the lottery has always been one of my dreams. I usually think about winning a lottery as though it’d solve all of my problems but the chances of winning this according to research is very slim so my dreams of winning the lottery became fantasies.
However this didn’t stop me from thinking about what I’d do if I won a large sum of money.
One of the challenges we face in our country is power inadequacy especially after a heavy downpour. On one Monday evening, I got back from school and I was very tired from that day’s classes. I got home and sat on the sofa, switched on the tv and tuned to my favorite tv show. I hadn't even watched it for 15 minutes when it started to rain. I knew they’d soon interrupt the power supply. I called out my brother’s name thrice that evening to get the lamp ready since they’ll soon interrupt the light. As I spoke, they did, it was as if they heard me.
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With anger in my attitude, I hijacked the lamp from my brother and inserted the batteries to put it on. I placed the lamp on the center table and then sat back on the sofa looking all vague.
I was lost in a land filled with luxuries. I imagined myself entering into the grocery stores and buying everything I wanted without checking through the price tags. I imagined myself sitting in the back seats of the ranger rover sports car and my driver driving me into a very beautiful duplex along the most popular and expensive street in Lagos, Nigeria.
I thought of myself living in that house where there wouldn’t be any form of power interruption 24 hours everyday. I also found myself looking through my wardrobe with expensive designer clothes of matching colors with their shoes and bags.
“Sister Joyce” my brother called.
According to him, he had called me thrice already and my brain could only recall that he called once.
“Oh sorry” I replied.
“Why are you smiling? You’ve been smiling for few seconds now , I thought you were angry before after they took the light”
He said in surprise.
“Don’t mind me o, I was thinking about something’
“Well I just wanted to tell you that the lamp is off. Now we have to wait for dad and mom to come and put on the generator when they’re back”
“Okay don’t worry. Go and sleep, I’ll wake you when they’re back “
We finished the conversation there and he went to his room. I hissed annoyingly as I looked at the dead lamp’s direction. After all, I wouldn't blame the lamp. I then thought that if I actually won the lottery, I’d do other reasonable things than selfishly wishing to live in luxury alone like I was daydreaming about before.
For a child my age, I thought I’d start by getting a good lamp that’d come on immediately if the power supplier interrupts the power and would go off whenever they restored it.
I then thought about how I’d buy houses for my parents. It has always been my dream to build my parents houses. I thought I’d go to the motherless children's home and buy them a lot of good things necessary for their development and yes I wouldn’t forget that I’d retouch my already written books, publish them and sell them around the country and even beyond.
I thought that I would give my parents a large sum of money and buy my brother the most beautiful back bag that he carries his books in to school. I’d visit the canteen everyday and eat the best meals.
However, I heard my name again.
“Sister Joyce”
It was from my brother and he said;
“I can hear dad’s car horn. Let’s go and open the gate”
At that instance, I snapped back into reality and groped to the door. The outside was very dark even though it wasn't that late yet. I guessed it was the after effect of the rain that fell.
The car’s flashlight served as a touch for us to walk toward the gate and open them.
My parents got in and switched the power generator on Immediately. I forgot all that I had thought of and focused only on the suya (roast peppered beef garnished with onions, fresh tomatoes, cucumber and fresh pepper) and the milk drinks they bought for my brother and I.