Charlie Mable was unlucky.
Here he stood at his usual morning spot between the
crosswalk of Maple and Beachwood waiting. The light hadn't changed yet and he
was becoming impatient. Charlie had an stiff, awkward posture-much like a coat rack. And on his tall thin frame, his clothes hung loosely. A scarecrow fit clothes better. And Charlie was running late.
He always seemed to be more curious about other
people’s business, much more than his own. We find him on a Tuesday on his usual
course, passing the neighborhood where a friend lives.
Here’s where our story begins.
“Hi Charlie” says Sid, seeing him walk past the white picket
fence.
“Morning Sid. That’s a nice smelling cigar, where did you
pick it up?”
Sid smiles broadly “I
didn’t. I won it as part of a gift basket from a raffle at work.”
“You won a gift basket at work?” asks Charlie.
“Yep” says Sid, blowing a smoke ring.
“I never win anything” says Charlie and continues walking to work.
At work Charlie learns that a co-worker of his is out for
the week.
“ Where’s Adam, how can he afford to take off in the middle
of the week?” asks Charlie.
“Adam won the Caribbean Cruise from the lottery drawing at
the conference.” says the manager
“Adam won a Caribbean Cruise?” asks Charlie
“Yep” someone else responds, shuffling past in a hurry.
“I never win anything” says Charlie and shuffles back to his desk.
On his walk home from work, Charlie sees two girls walking
down the street. One stops near the edge of a puddle. She stands there a moment
looking at something in the water and sees her reach in and pick out a
scrunched up $20 bill. Charlie hears the young girls exclaim to her friend “ I
found $20 dollars!”
“Some people get all the luck, I never win anything”
mumbles Charlie, and continues walking home.
Down the street from him house, Charlie makes a stop to the
grocery store and sees an old friend with an infant puppy in her arms.
“Hi Lorie, when did you get this little guy?” asked Charlie,
patting the puppy’s head.
Lorie says “You wouldn't believe it, my neighbor’s dog had a
litter and she gave me a puppy!”
“She gave you a puppy?” asked Charlie.
“Yep” says Lorie and walks out of the store.
“Some people get all the luck, I never win anything” mumbles
Charlie.
“Who says luck has anything to do with it?” a voice from
behind captures Charlie’s attention. He turns to face the mysterious man.
“What do you mean?” inquires Charlie, excited for the opportunity to complain about his day and
begins recounting the story of other's luck to new ears.
After listening for awhile the old man looks at Charlie and says thoughtfully, “You have done something remarkable.”
Charlies expression shifts from confused to interested as
he listens to the man’s words.
"You very well could
be the only person on Earth who has never won anything before" he continues, his voice filled with wonder and astonishment.
“That’s what I’m telling you, some people get all the luck
and I NEVER do!” exclaims Charlie, bewildered that this man could possibly have a different reaction to his situation.
The wise man looks away with a thoughtful expression as if
trying to conceive the possibility... He says
“Everybody at some point has caught
a break or won something…but you.. Somehow…Somehow you’ve managed-against all odds-despite everyone else , you have
managed not to win anything...and so naturally. Pray son, tell me your secret?" the old man asks, waiting attentively for words of wisdom to fall onto his ear.
Charlie is baffled at first, that the mysterious man could possibly have a different reaction to his situation. But then he begins to think carefully about how few people he meets like himself. And he begins convincing himself that he really is lucky. He looks down at his hands, then around the store and then to look the mysterious man.
Charlie responds quietly and with careful articulation of his words. "I won't tell you my secret." and he turns around and walks away, thinking intently on something else.
And so he leaves the store with a renewed faith in himself. And as he walks back down the familiar path past the while picked fence he thinks. "Perhaps I already posses the greatest luck of all. The luck of possessing the knowledge of knowing I can make my own"
And so he leaves the store with a renewed faith in himself. And as he walks back down the familiar path past the while picked fence he thinks. "Perhaps I already posses the greatest luck of all. The luck of possessing the knowledge of knowing I can make my own"
Lesson: Don't worry what others win. Make your own luck.