The Prize
by Connie Vigil Plat
I entered my name in adrawing at a local department store, the grand prize winner would receive $1,500.00 the second prize was a vacation and third was a mink stole. Three of my friends and I always entered every contest of that sort that was offered. We never expected to win as we had been doing this for all our adult life. It was as if it were not a drawing but a show of solidarity. We always agreed to share whatever we won.
When I got home I called my cohorts to tell them I was entered in yet one more get rich scheme.
“Since I’m the only one that entered if I win we’ll splitthe money, if I get the vacation I’ll take my wonderful husband and if the mink becomes mine I’ll loan it to anyone that has a special reason towear it.” I told them.
They all agreed that was the fair way since none of us had ever won it didn’t seem to be much of a problem.
I paid no more attention to the affair and even forgot when the day of the drawing was supposed to take place. The winners name would be posted so every shopper could see who the lucky recipients were.
I was up to my elbows in dishwater when the telephone rang. I dried my hands off and answered.
“Hello?”
“You won you lucky creature, you won!” Gloria shrieked.
“Won? Won what?”
“You won the drawing at Miller’s Department store. I’m so excited I had to call you right away.” Gloria was still excited as far as I could tell.
“How do you know? What’d I win? Nobody called me about winning any drawing.”
“I was shopping and they were posting the winning names. You won the Mink. Can I borrow it for Saturday? You know we agreed we could borrow it if there was a special occasion. And I’m going to the Country Club dance Saturday.”
“Well I haven’t gotten it yet.” I answered. I wanted to at least see it and fondle it before sending it out to a dance.
No sooner had I hung up the phone than it rang again.
“Hello?”
“I just heard, aren’t you thrilled? But seriously can I borrow it for Saturday? I’m going out to dinner for my birthday anddidn’t know what to wear but if I wear a mink stole it won’t mattermuch what else I wear. Will it?” Elise finally ran down.
“Yes I heard, Gloria just called but she also asked to borrow the stole. I haven’t even seen it yet. I don’t have it.” I was getting nervous about who was going to wear the mink first. I thought it really should be me.
As soon as I hung up the phone rang again.
“Hello?” I was a little hesitant.
“I’m so happy for you.” Janice said.
At last someone that might understand the plight of having a brand new mink stole.
“I wanted to be the first to ask you if I could wear the stolefor Saturday night. My mother-in-law is coming for a visit and I want to make agood impression. You agreed we could borrow it for special occasions. In fact Ithink it was your idea.” I could see Janice smiling over the phone.
“I’m sorry but you’re not the first to ask, both Gloria and Elise already called me. I don’t have it yet and anyway Ithink I should be the first one to wear it.”
I waited until Saturday afternoon to pick up my beautiful free gift. My husband was taking me out to celebrate my good fortune. We had to pass the Country Club and Gloria was walking up the path wearing a sequined ball gown with a velvet cape, I don’t know if she saw me.
At the first stoplight in the next car I saw Janice and her mother-in-law. Janice staring daggers at me her mother-in-law looked straight ahead.
At dinner Elise and her husband sat glaring at me two tables over.
I was the first to wear the stole.
Seven days ago I had friends, a loving family and was generally surrounded by people that cared about me and had the same mind set that I have. Now nobody will talk to me.
I have a mink wrap that I don’t use and my friends won’t talk to me. So what was my prize?
The End
Connie Vigil Platt has gone kicking and screaming from writing on cave walls to the electronic age. With over sixhundred short stories published, she has now been published in Australia, Canada, England, Japan as well as the United States.
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