Chapter 1

Day 1 as a Millionaire (Wednesday, March 10, 2009)

The wipers slashed futilely at the windshield in a vain attempt to clear the slush away allowing me to see but a dozen yards down the highway. The surprise spring storm blew in without a weatherman's peep of warning. It was emblematic of what my life had been over the last few weeks: Surprise, mixed with trouble, mixed with grief, and a little excitement stirred in as well.

It was only three weeks ago tomorrow that I received the call reporting that my wife of twenty one years had been killed when a semi whose brakes had failed coming down a long hill had overrun her from the rear. Sylvia was just returning home from her work a few blocks from the accident.

Now I was returning from Salem where I had to go to redeem a lottery ticket my wife, Sylvia had purchased the day before her death. She liked to dream about what she would do with the money if she were ever to win a large lottery. Since she seldom purchased any tickets, I would frequently deride her probabilities of winning. I was not even aware of this ticket purchase until two weeks after her death. I was going through her belongings sorting out what to throw out, what to give to Goodwill, and what to give to my two remaining daughters. I discovered the lottery ticket in her nightstand and noted the recent date of purchase. It caught my attention because I had just heard a news report about the fact that there was a winner of the drawing a week ago who had not yet stepped forward to identify themselves. It roused my curiosity enough to go into her office, log onto the lottery web site using her computer to check the winning number against her ticket.

What Irony! Her dream finally comes true only to be stymied by her untimely death. She had won an astounding sum of 109 million dollars take-home after taxes. I had spent most of my driving time there, and back, thinking about how this windfall would be handled. I had received scores of calls from friends, relatives, co-workers, acquaintances, and others seeking to aid in that decision. Everyone now had a worthy cause, a sure-fire opportunity, and a chunk of our winnings would get me in on the ground floor.

I had some ideas for the allocation of the windfall but it was going to stay in the money market account until these ideas firmed up into a plan. I had been studying the stock market patterns in light of a one-day training session I had taken a couple years ago. I had come up with a trading program which was pretty consistently profitable on paper trading. I had just never had any money to implement it. One drawback was that it required consistent daily attention to make certain I did not miss any leading indicators. My plan would begin with selling our home and most of our stuff. I wanted to be free to move where opportunity would guide and did not need a fixed home any longer.

Suddenly, through the rain-streaked windshield I see a darkened car at a crazy angle on the edge of the road. Its tail end still sticking into the traffic lane a couple feet with its nose off the road and down into a ditch. As I come to a screeching stop just past the car I see a figure slumped over the steering wheel. I put on my hazard lights and jump out to take a closer look.

As I approach the car, I hear the sound of a women sobbing in despair. I shout through the window "Are you OK?" There is no response but continued sobbing. "Are you injured?" I shout a little louder. The only response is a shaking of her head in the negative. I am quickly becoming soaked by the down pouring rain and ask her if I can help her in any way. She reaches up and presses a button which results in the door locks clicking open.

I take that as an invitation to join her and move around to the passenger side of the car. I see the possible cause of her current situation in the shredded rubber hanging on the front wheel on that side of the car. I hurriedly open the door and slide into the seat to get out of the rain.

After shutting the door, I again ask her if I can help her.

She finally answers with a wail of despair "I don't think anyone can help me. It's hopeless and there's nothing anyone can do. Last month my husband up and left town with a waitress from the bar; my daughter needs an operation to save her eyes; I don't have any money so I can't pay for the operation and we're about to lose our farm, our home, and our horses; We're out of fuel for the tractor to put in the crops; and yesterday the tractor broke down anyway; and now the tire blew out and my husband never repaired the tire in the trunk after our last flat tire".

I placed my hand on her back in sympathy and was surprised when she turned to me and threw herself on my shoulder with renewed sobs of despair.

After about five minutes of comforting, her sobs began to subside. I told her "I'm not sure how to resolve all your problems right now, but if we deal with them one at a time perhaps we can make some sense of them. Maybe in the light of day we can see some hope. Where were you headed? And where is your daughter?"

"I was headed home from The Dalles where I just left my daughter in the hospital for some further tests. I have to get home to feed the stock in the morning before going back to try somehow to make arrangements for an operation on her eyes. I don't know what I'm going to do but if they can't operate soon to repair her eye muscles she could loose her sight in one or both of her eyes." This was followed by a minute or two of additional sobs.

"You still didn't tell me where home is. How far did you have to go yet?"

"I live just out of Grass Valley. I had about 30 more miles to go when that blame tire blew up and I almost rolled the car into the ditch."

"I didn't have anything pressing to do tomorrow. Would you object to a ride home tonight and a little help with your car tomorrow? Is there a Motel I could stay at in Grass Valley?"

"I don't want to put you out any. I appreciate your taking the time to listen to me but isn't that taking you out of your way?" she replied.

"Like I said, I didn't have any plans for tomorrow anyway, and Grass Valley isn't that far out of my way. Really, no strings! I'll just give you a ride home and help you get your car fixed tomorrow"

"Well, I'll take the ride home anyway. I can't expect you to fix my car though." She cautiously agreed. "I don't think there is any motel in Grass Valley but I have a friend, Emma, who runs a Bed and Breakfast in town.

"Fine, let's get you and anything you need with you into my car then I'll see if I can get your car rearranged so that it is no longer a hazard for passing traffic."

She reached into the back and grabbed a book pack and the purse beside her on the seat and opened her door starting to remove the keys.

"I'll need the keys to move the car" I reminded her as I also opened the other door causing her to leave the keys in the ignition. I opened the passenger door on my old Dodge station wagon for her. She slid her pack over the seat into the back and sat down in the car. After closing the door for her I stepped back to her car.

I was able to start it, back it onto the road again and turn it parallel to the traffic and as close to the side as possible. I opened the glove box and readily found the registration papers to identify the make, model, and so on for her car then used my cell phone to call AAA. I knew they would not make a service call without making me wait till a service vehicle arrived, so I just got them to give me the name and phone number for their authorized tow operator in The Dalles.

Calling the tow operator I explained the situation and he agreed to come out and pick up the car and deliver it to Les Schwab in the morning. I gave him my AAA number as well as my Master Card number to cover any charges that AAA would not cover. I told them the key would be under the passenger side front wheel hidden in the shredded rubber of the blown tire.

Returning to my car and climbing in, I asked her "Do you have any valuables in the car? I just talked to AAA and a tow operator who will bring your car back to The Dalles if I can leave the key with it."

"There are only some dirty clothes and an old horse blanket in the trunk. Won't it cost a lot to have the car towed all the way to The Dalles?" she responded.

"I am a member of AAA and they will take care of your car since I gave them my number." I may have exaggerated a little but she didn't need to know that, and I could certainly afford whatever charges there might be. "We can finish getting it fixed tomorrow when we return. By the way, my name is Leon"

"My name is Melissa Parker, but I told you I couldn't accept your help fixing my car" she insisted.

I responded that we would see what could be worked out in the morning as I pulled out and started down the highway.

"I need to call Emma to make sure she has room for you. May I use your cell phone?" she queried in response.

I handed her the phone and she quickly dialed the number.

"Hello. Emma? This is Missy."

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"I know. And I'm sorry for calling you so late. But I need a big favor."

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"I had a tire blow out on the way home and this nice man stopped and is giving me a ride home and needs a place to stay the night."

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"That wouldn't be right. I'm still married!"

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"I know he's a shit, but I can't let that make me change!"

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"Don't even go there..."

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"Thank-you. I really appreciate it. He'll be there in about 45 minutes."

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"Emma ... You don't need to do that!"

...

"Fine. I'll see you tomorrow." She finished, and handed me the phone back.

"She insists that we both have breakfast with her in the morning." She reported with a smile.

"I guess that's the breakfast part of the Bed and Breakfast. Will you need me to come pick you up from the farm?"

"No. I'll just use the farm truck to come in. It still has enough gas to get around a bit more" she sighed.

"Did Tom work off the farm?" I questioned after several minutes of silence but for the clapping of the window wipers.