In English, we were given a 1 page maximum length assignment to show our understanding of the basic layout of a short story. It has an introduction, a rising action, a climax/conflict, a resolution, and a conclusion. To prepare for this, we were given a website which contained several stories to learn from. I chose to write about an average male with a bland life, who just happens to win $35,000,000. After a series of impulsive spending, he is faced in a financial crunch and recieves a life threatening phone call from his Grandmother who is ill. His next decision determines his fate.
Lorenzo, your average 18 year old, walks into his local liquor store for his usual 4 o'clock pack of cigarettes on a usual Wednesday afternoon. Camels? Marlboro? Newports? The usual Camel 27s will suffice. Everything is usual. Nothing out of the ordinary. Staying in his comfort zone. Lottery tickets displayed on the counter tempt Lorenzo for the first time in a long time. He chooses the "Mega Millions" ticket, thinking big. Lorenzo walks outside to spark a cigarette. He looks at the golden numbers on his Mega Millions ticket stub, 7-21-38-42-16. Lorenzo takes a drag and thinks nothing really of this weird, jumble of numbers. Monotonous reaction as usual. He always has bad luck. Never wins anything.
One week later Lorenzo ventures to the liquor store once again to pick up the local news paper. He flips it open, without excitement to the MegaMillion lottery numbers. "7-21-38-42-16." Lorenzo takes a drag off his cigarette in utter disbelief. Slightly moved. He thinks to himself, "this has to be a joke, they're just going to tax me 50% of the winnings..."
Two months later, Lorenzo's backpack weighs heavy on his back filled with mint bundles of 100 dollar bills. His bank reciept says $35,000,000. First thing he does is run across the street in his drabby, 4 year old clothes: ripped jeans and a stained white shirt and purchases a Mercedes C63, a whole new wardrobe and booked flights to travel all across the world buying and purchasing houses in the Bahamas, California, Italy, and Hawaii. Months later, he even bought a Yacht. Lorenzo realizes he doesn't need to be in school. He drops out and never talks to anyone again. "I could do whatever I want now. I don't need people, friends. I want to have everything I could never have".
Three years later, Lorenzo still hasn't talked of any of his friends. His bank statement declares his final million dollars. Lorenzo looks back on his success and accomplishments. He can't think of anything, except the fact that he was just lucky. He doesn't have a college or high school degree, didn't keep in contact with his friends. All he is known as is "the guy who won the lottery and blew all of his money away, good-for-nothing". He realizes that people will remember him for only this. For ditching his friends for material objects which didn't get him anywhere.
All of the sudden his cell phone rings. "GRANDMA", says the caller - ID. Lorenzo is perplexed as to why she is calling him. Uninterested in taking the call, Lorenzo lets it ring to the very last possible moment he could pick up the phone, but with no greeting. The silence on his end of the phone comes from a reserve of guilt, self-pity and selfishness he subconsciously feels about himself. "Hello?" She says. "Grandma how are you it has been too long." As the usual small talk goes on, his Grandmother finally announces that she is terminally ill. She goes on to explain that she has an undetermined amount of time to live unless she can find the funds to buy her medication, pay her hospitalization fees, in-patient care, etc. Hearing the cry for help from a family member is foreign to Lorenzo. The words coming out of Lorenzo's mouth were waves in which his deepest emotions rode on, and out from. His words were spoken, but he heard them as if his soul was pouring out.
Lorenzo then decides to sell his houses, his yacht, sell everything except his favorite house and 2 of his favorite cars. He decided to fully fund his grandmas health prediciment. lorenzo realizes that his usual life took him no where and left him empty.Now that he fells the need to try and reach out and speak to his old friends and fill the void which he created in side of him.
