For the life of me, I just couldn't get to sleep on Thursday night last week.
I tossed and I turned, trying to calm my mind down enough to the point where I could at least approach the idea of laying completely still, but to no avail.
What happened was I allowed my mind to wander off into fantasy territory, and my brain just couldn't shut the dream down enough for me to get some all-important Zzzzzz's.
Evidently, my mind had drifted off to the land of "Big Lottery Win Island".
See, what had happened was I was on my phone, and I just decided to hit up the website for WestJet Vacations, looking at what a hypothetical vacation to Hawaii might cost. Seeing those inflated dollar figures, you'd think it would've brought me back down to Earth pretty quickly, but that wasn't the case. In my mind, what I was doing was pretending that I'd just won the lottery, the Lotto MAX mega jackpot worth millions upon millions of dollars.
I have to make something clear here, because it's something that I've fantasized about for quite a long time. I always told myself that if I ever did win it big on a lottery ticket and strike that proverbial sea of oil, that I would begin to spread my wealth around and bring my family and friends into the fold. After all, if you've just won enough money to last several lifetimes, what good is it if you can't enjoy it with the people you love?
Specifically, I've always had a dream of winning it big and then treating my family to a luxurious, breathtaking, Hawaiian vacation. Apparently, my tossing and turning in bed that night was the result of too much dreaming. I just couldn't shake the thought from my head, and more importantly, perhaps I didn't exactly want to shake it, either. After all, we're talking about a trip to Hawaii here. Pretty much the polar opposite of rural Saskatchewan in February. Who wouldn't want to think about that when the roads are icy and the temperature can dip down to -20 or colder? It's a good, comforting thought, at least in my view.
It's scary how much I've actually thought about this scenario managing to play itself out in the real world.
One day, I stop in at the D&E convenience store here in Outlook and pick up a Lotto MAX ticket. "Hey, I heard the jackpot's a big one tonight! $40 million! Just imagine what a guy could do with that kind of money, eh?" The rest of my night goes as normal: I watch some TV, I make some supper, I scroll on my phone, I read a book, I watch more TV, I go to bed.
The next day, I wake up and decide to check my ticket online. Eh, I may as well, right? Save myself the disappointment and maybe even a necessary trip back to the D&E. But I see that I've got one of the numbers. "Hey, at least that's something." Then I see that I've got one more, two more numbers. "Whoa, that's a little freaky. Can't say that's ever happened before!" Suddenly, my eyes dart back and forth between my ticket and the lottery commission's website. I've got one, two, three more identical numbers.
"Wait......wait.........just......hold on here......let me just....." I'm matching the numbers between the website and the ticket in my hand. So far, so good, and they all check out. I get that weird, warm, fuzzy feeling all over my body when you start to physically realize that something incredible and other-worldly just happened.
This just cannot be, could it....?
I check the numbers again, and again, and again. As far as I can see, it's legit.
According to the ticket in my hand and the lottery website, I have just won $40 million in the Lotto MAX mega jackpot.
My life is forever changed. My ship has finally come in. My universe has been officially rocked. Things will never, ever be the same again.
I scream over and over again, my eyes continuing to dart back and forth between the information I'm reading on my computer screen and the corresponding numbers on my signed lottery ticket. I'm not even screaming actual words, I can only describe it as being emotionally knocked for a loop. But it actually happened - a Ruttle is now a multi-millionaire.
I go through all the necessary steps. I call the appropriate people and ensure that it's 100% legitimate. I make a few phone calls to a select group of people who I'd want to tell this earth-shattering news to. And then that's when I realize it - I can now make my fantasy happen.
Life changes for me. I buy a nice house in Outlook, a couple of new vehicles. I find myself retired at age 36 with the rest of my life looking back at me going, "Well, Derek - what now?" Soon enough, I gather my family and tell them what I'd love to pull off with them. Let's do a week in sunny, warm Hawaii. Top-notch hotel, gorgeous views of the ocean and the mountains, incredible food and experiences, the whole shebang.
All on my dime. I'd insist on it. You want to try and pay me back? Fine, buy me a drink served in a coconut.
The experience would be amazing. The greatest food, the coldest and most refreshing drinks, the memorable experiences, and the most attractive setting. We'd dine together, go swimming together, relax together, and I'm sure all of it would be documented in one way or another. Now that's a Facebook photo album that I'm sure would be one for the history books.
It's fun to dream, isn't it? Take a small break from reality. I may not be headed to Hawaii anytime soon, if ever, but I sure liked the thoughts that ran through my mind that late night on Thursday when I couldn't get to sleep.
Guess I can always head back there when things get a little drab around here.
For this week, that's been the Ruttle Report.
