gambling
His Ticket Home: A Gambler's Story
“Wow, Bill, how many tickets do you think are here?” I asked.
My brother shook his head. "I don’t know. Hundreds at the very least.”
Bill and I looked in Allen’s car and found lottery tickets everywhere. They were under the seats, stuffed in the glove compartment and crammed above the visors. We knew that our brother bought lottery tickets, but we never realized how many.
Later in the evening, Bill and I went to Allen’s “home.” After his divorce, he couldn’t afford a down payment for a place of his own, so he rented a room at a hotel.
The room was barren, except for a photograph of Allen’s daughter, which laid on the nightstand. I picked up the snapshot and tears filled my eyes. “She was his life,” I said. Bill nodded, too choked up to speak.
I opened the closet door and looked inside. Several of Al’s shirts, along with a couple pair of jeans, hung neatly on the hangers. A duffel bag and a small cardboard box, full of Allen’s personal documents, sat on the floor.
My heart sunk and my mind whirled. My brother, age fifty-four, had no more than this to his name. Did Allen lose everything he had, hoping to hit the "big one?"
Bill and I gathered Allen’s belongings and carried them to the car. Everything fit into the trunk, with room to spare.
As we drove home, I stared out the window and cried. I still cry when I think about my brother's life.
Allen was a good man who worked very hard. He spoke often of his dreams. “One day I’m going to buy a new house, a new car, and a motorcycle,” he once said. But he always ran out of money, and could barely make ends meet. Now I know that Allen was not alone.
Millions hide this subtle form of gambling. They buy numerous lottery tickets, hoping to strike it rich. Some spend large amounts of their weekly paychecks to play numbers using birthdays and anniversaries, thinking it will bring them luck. These people deserve more. My brother deserved more.
When Allen finished high school, he joined the Army and served in Vietnam. The war took its toll and he was never the same after he returned home.
He accepted a job with a big retail department chain where he met and married his wife. Allen worked at the store for over 25 years. Then, when he was in his early fifties, the company offered him an early retirement, along with a large sum of money. Allen took their offer, but the money was gone in less than two years. I could never understand why—until we found the tickets.
After months of searching for another job without success, Allen relocated his family and took a minimum wage position as a cook for a retirement center. I knew it had to be difficult for him but I admired his stamina. I couldn't imagine having to start my whole life over again at his age.
Even though Allen had lost nearly everything, and was physically tired and sick at heart, he still kept trying—until he got the news.
Allen went to see a physician on a Wednesday when he thought he had bronchitis. The following Friday, the doctor told him that he had lung cancer. By Saturday morning, Allen was in the hospital on life support.
As I talked with the doctor, my heart broke. “How could this have happened so fast?" I said. "He just found out about his illness yesterday."
"Truthfully, I think he's already given up," the doctor replied. "This happens sometimes." He said it was Allen's choice to remain on life support and endure the treatments for his condition, or he could decide to have them turn off the machines.
Allen chose the latter.
After he made his choice, my husband, Tom, and I stood by Allen's bedside. We knew there wasn't much time. My husband spoke for both of us.
"Al, do you want to make things right with God and ask His forgiveness?" Allen gave an affirmative nod. His tears fell like rain.
Soon after, with the family around Allen's bed, the nurse disconnected the tubes. I cradled him and cried.
I wept because I wanted to keep Allen with me. I wept because he had so many unfulfilled dreams, and I cried tears of joy because I knew he was going to be with God.
I wonder what Allen would say now that he’s in Heaven? I don't know for sure, but I sometimes imagine he might tell me, “Make sure others know not do what I did—waste their talents. Don't invest in the lottery; invest in things of real value like God, family, and friends. I didn't realize what I was doing.”
Even though I still grieve, I’m comforted. I now realize that Allen finally got his winning ticket—paid in full by Jesus Christ. He didn't have to waste his hard-earned money on lottery tickets to get what he desired in the end. Everything he ever wanted or dreamed of is now in his possession. God had Allen's ticket reserved all along. All he had to do was ask for it. All any of us have to do is ask.
I'm glad that Allen made his reservation in time.
Background Information
Compulsive and Problem Gambling: A National Problem
An addiction to games of chance has become a widespread epidemic in America.
Gambling and Kids
Not only is gambling legal, for the first time in modern American history, it's being promoted as family entertainment.
Gambling's Impact on Families
Casino owners want you to think gambling is a benign activity. Here's what they don't want you to know.
Questions and Answers
What role does denial play in the life of the compulsive gambler?
Answer
I am married to a compulsive gambler and have heard the expression "enabler." Could you help me determine if I am an enabler?
Answer
Review Frequently Asked Questions
Stories
If you've been through a experience related to this topic, we invite you to share your story with others.Share Your Story
Other Things to Consider
God and Gambling
What does the Bible say about gambling?
Filling the Holes in Our Souls
When harmless "hobbies" become compulsions, it may be time to take a closer look at the emotional deficits in our lives.
Related Topics
Life Pressures: Workaholism
Parenting Teens: Drugs and Alcohol, Eating Disorders, Internet Concerns
Relationships: Anger
