Day 17

Winner!

People always make fun of me for entering contests. I will enter anything. Fill out a form, answer a question, write an essay. It’s not so much that I expect to win, but the anticipation of what *could* be, what I *could* win, that excites me.

Tonight we went to a real luau. On the beach, tiki torches, pig in the ground, Blue Hawaiis flowing, luau. As we entered, there was a box in the gift shop where all you had to do was write your name and bus number (we were bussed to the remote luau location) and you could win fabulous prizes. Daniel started to stuff our entries into the box. No! Unfold them, nice and smooth. Then pop them in the box with a wish. *Then* we’ll win. He gave me a stare as if I was insane, rolled his eyes, but did as I asked.

At the end of the evening, the grass skirted hula maiden pulled three names from the box. First name won a prize of a t-shirt. Second name won a souvenir mug. “And now, for the final prize of the evening, from Bus Number 2…” I clenched my fists. We had arrived on bus number 2. “Lori McLeese.” I squealed. I rushed up to the stage, sand sliding into my sandals. Once there, I was handed a coupon for a free copy of our “Welcome Picture”, Daniel and I smiling with two island beauties. A lovely souvenir from our true luau evening.