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*Lucky Numbers* 3/19/02 ______________________________________ If you enjoy this free daily email service, I encourage you to spread the word to family and friends that we may bring inspiration into the lives of many! If you are not on the list and this has been passed along to you, join the thousands of HeartTouchers.com readers around the world by sending an e-mail with the word "Subscribe" in the subject line to: HeartTouchers@aol.com Visit our inspirational web site and read all the past stories in our archives at: http://www.HeartTouchers.com ____________________________________________ From now on we will be offering our book, Straight From the Heart "A Celebration of Life" for only $13 (instead of the regular price of $14.95), and best of all, we will pay the shipping! So if you have any interest in purchasing an autographed copy of the book for yourself, or as a gift for your loved ones, now is the time to get it! To order your autographed copy send a check or money order for $13 (We pay the shipping!) for each book made out to Michael T. Powers, and then send it to: Michael T. Powers 1918 Liberty Lane Janesville, WI 53545 To preview the book by reading some of the stories visit: http://www.HeartTouchers.com/michael_t__powers/ AOL Users Click below: Straight From the Heart: A Celebration of Life _________________________________________ Lucky Numbers By Ron Gold Zoltan Kramer certainly didn't look or feel like a millionaire. The wool suit he bought last night was starting to itch. He leaned on his aluminum cane and began fidgeting with his neatly trimmed Van Dyke beard as he waited for the State Police cruiser. The state trooper met the old man outside the front door of the Hebrew Home For The Aged. "Mr. Kramer, my name is Sergeant Warren D. McEnroe, Jr.", the young, spit-polished New Jersey trooper said. "I've come to drive you to the Lottery Ceremony in Trenton." Though liberated from the concentration camp for more than fifty years, Zoltan still distrusted policemen, guns and police cars. The trooper helped Kramer slide into the back seat, and started driving toward Trenton. "You're the third instant millionaire I've chauffeured," McEnroe said. "How does it feel to be an instant millionaire?", McEnroe asked. "I'll tell you when I get the check," the old man said. "But what happens if I don't take the money?" The officer glanced back at his passenger in disbelief. "Who doesn't want $27 million?" "Winning the Lottery is nice," Kramer said, "but to me it's a joke. All I did was play my old lucky number. It didn't require skill or special intelligence. I didn't discover a cure for cancer. I just got lucky. Look, I'm 90 years old and I don't have much time left. I'm not going to buy a home or a car and I have no wife or family to buy presents for. What do I really need? At the assisted living, they feed me, give me my pills, change my sheets, let me play bingo and watch the big color television. Today I will have $27 million." "I remember my years in the concentration camp. I was a limping, wheezing skeleton. I had nothing. I was totally penniless and alone. In my small village in Romany, I saw my parents herded into cattle cars and sent off to the ovens. I saw a police officer draw his pistol and shoot my lame little brother dead -- in front of my eyes -- in the village square. It was a fast, cheap death. I didn't have a penny when I lost my family. Today I'll have $27 million and I cannot buy their lives back. It's a joke -- a sick, tragic joke." "But I, myself, was lucky. The Americans saved me. And I eventually came to the United States. I went to night school, where I met Margaret. She was an American girl who taught me English -- and how to laugh again. I married her in 1950. For a living, I sewed piecework in a dress factory. It was my only job for 35 years. And Margaret was my only love. She died from cancer in 1975. And, I miss her very much." "I'm sorry," McEnroe said as he changed the subject. "In one hour you're going to get $27 million," the trooper said. "You can still buy a lot of happiness and excitement with all that money." "I found my great happiness with Margaret," Kramer said. "And I found excitement playing the numbers game." "But that's against the law!" the trooper declared, staring at his passenger through his rear view mirror. "Yes, it was illegal when I placed my nickel and dime bets at Saltzman's candy store. I'd give Saltzman my spare change and he'd write my numbers on a paper. And we both hoped we wouldn't get caught by the cops. Today you stand and wait in crowded lines by a computer at an official Lottery Agency. It's all high-tech and legal because the state gets its piece of the action. That's life." "Did you win often?" the sergeant asked. "Not often, but when I won, I celebrated with Margaret. We'd take the train into the city and I'd hire a taxi cab to take us to a fine restaurant. I'd order two steak dinners and a glass of French wine for Margaret and an ice-cold bottle of beer for me. Once, when I hit on a quarter bet, I also bought her flowers. Margaret loved camellias. She called me 'Diamond Jim Brady' and she called our feast 'our night of opulence'." "You really miss her, don't you?" "I miss her very much," Zoltan sighed. "I also miss the youth I could not enjoy. I'd give every nickel of that $27 million if I could spend one more day with my Margaret." "What would you do?," the young trooper asked. "First, I would hug and kiss her and watch her smile. She had a warm and beautiful and lovely smile. Then I would apologize for anything I ever said or did that hurt her. Are you married?" McEnroe said he married his Lori eighteen years ago. They have a 15-year-old son, Billy, and a nine-year-old daughter, Nancy. "But, Sergeant, you still haven't answered my original question: What will they do if I don't take the $27 million?" "I don't know what they'll do with the money, but they'll probably lock you away in a nuthouse -- an insane asylum. They'll say you're crazy. Turning back $27 million is very un-American." Kramer smiled. "I guess you're right but I'll tell you what. Later, when they take pictures of me with that great big check, I want you to call Lori. Tell her and the kids that tonight 'Diamond Jim' is going to give them a 'night of opulence'. I'm going to buy us all steak dinners. And a glass of wine for Lori, two bottles of ice-cold beer -- one for you and one for me -- and a Coca-Cola for Billy and a Shirley Temple for Nancy. It's my treat. Believe me, tonight I can afford it." Sergeant McEnroe changed the subject again. "You never did tell me what your lucky number was." Zoltan Kramer laid his cane across the back seat, unbuckled his seat belt, slid his arm out of his suit jacket, rolled up his shirt sleeve and placed his arm over the front seat, revealing his concentration camp tattoo. And both men continued their drive in silence. Ron Gold Outthinkresumes@aol.com Write Ron and let him know what you thought of his story! _____________________________________ Ron Gold is a "people person". Have a conversation with him and you're likely to find yourself in one of his stories. A journalism major in college and, later, a creative director for three motivation companies, Ron also worked as a public relations and advertising copywriter. He lives in New Jersey, where he crafts poetry, short stories, "street-smart" resumes and ethical wills. _________________________________________ Reader Feedback! I must say that this site and so many others proves that God is at work! I am a survivor and am so pleased to know that there is so much love and caring amongst so many strangers coming together to help others. Janice Garner joe_janice65536@yahoo.com Came upon this site one evening recently... got totally absorbed reading story after story... Each portraying life openly and honestly... to touch others lives... A treasure of a web site... Diana d_serrao@hotmail.com _________________________________________ Thought For The Day: "God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him." (Jim Elliot) Verse for the Day: "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our Salvation." Psalm 68:19 Kid's Thought For The day: "If you can't find a way through the crowd, make one." Parent's Thought For The Day "What is a home without children? Quiet." (Henny Youngman) Coach's Thought For The Day Triumph is a little "umph" added to 'try." Writer's Thought For The Day: "Don't use words too big for the subject. Don't say 'infinitely' when you mean 'very'; otherwise you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite." --C. S. Lewis Deep Thought For The Day: "It takes money to make money, because you have to copy the design exactly." ___________________________________________ REQUESTS: Hi Michael, Here is the latest email from Fahad's father: Luckily we got good news regarding the transplant of my son. We are leaving to Oakland March 30 and we are hoping the transplant would start in 1st week of April. Need your and everybody's prayer. Sincerely Arshad I know that the family still needs financial assistance and are also requesting lots of prayers. The link to Fahad's story is: http://www.hugsandhope.com/fahadupdates.htm Thank you and God bless! Mindy daisysmom2002@yahoo.com Dear Friends, News has just come through that an Australian Missionary family was abducted yesterday in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. They are medical Doctors and have been there for years. Their vehicle has been found abandoned and the whole family of 6 (Mum and Dad and 4 kids) is missing. We have met these guys personally and they are well known for their ministry. Please pray for them without ceasing. I will keep you updated. In haste, Deb Davidson choosejoy@hotkey.net.au ___________________________________________ _ /_/\/\ MICHAEL T. POWERS \_\ / HeartTouchers@aol.com /_/ \ "For I have been crucified with Christ and I no \_\/\ \ longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I \_\/ live in the body I live for the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20 ___________________________________________ The copyrights to the stories that appear in HeartTouchers.com are owned by the authors and are used with their permission. We refuse to run stories without the author's permission and contact info listed after the story. We also refuse to publish stories listed as "author unknown." (All of which violates Copyright Law and the rights of the authors.) This e-mail may be forwarded in its entirety, but please do not cut and paste the stories to be used elsewhere unless you have contacted and been given permission by the individual writer. Thank you so much for honoring the rights of those writers who graciously share their stories with us! __________________________________________ Video Imagery --Michael's Video Production Business "I thought of you first after my family sat down to watch the video we gave them. They loved it, to say the least! Within thirty seconds my mom was crying and my dad did too. They said it was the best Christmas gift we could have given them!! You did such a beautiful job! They were so surprised and so touched--they really, really, really loved it. Thanks for helping to make it so special to us all. My mom mentioned how the songs were perfect for the video too! Thanks again!" Kelli-- College Station, TX Let me make you a video from your photos! Check out my video production business by visiting: http://www.hearttouchers.com/video_imagery/ AOL Users click here: Video Imagery ___________________________________________ Would you like to see your story in HeartTouchers.com? Writer's guidelines can be found on our Web site here: http://www.HeartTouchers.com/guidelines/ AOL Users click here: Writer's Guidelines ___________________________________________ SUBSCRIBE: "I need a daily source of inspiration and encouragement in my life!" To become a HeartTouchers.com Member send an e-mail with "Subscribe" in the subject line to: HeartTouchers@AOL.COM Then get ready to laugh, cry, and be deeply touched by some of the best stories on the Internet! __________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: All you have to do is send an e-mail with the word "Unsubscribe" in the subject line to: HeartTouchers@aol.com Give it a day or two to be processed... __________________________________________ Do you feel as if life has no meaning for you? http://www.greatcom.org/english/four.htm AOL Users click here: The Four Spiritual Laws __________________________________________ A number of people have written to us asking what an EBook is, since our book is being offered in both print and EBook versions. An EBook is a book that can be downloaded and read right on your computer. The advantage of ordering the EBook is that is costs less, $8.95 (No other charges), as compared to $14.95 + shipping and handling for the print book. Plus you can download the EBook and begin reading the stories in a few minutes! EBooks are read via Acrobat Reader, which is software that most of you already have on your computer. And if for some reason you don't, it can be downloaded free of charge at the web site. So for those of you who don't want to wait for the print book to be delivered, check out this web site to order the EBook version of Straight From the Heart "A Celebration of Life." http://www.booklocker.com/bookpages/michaeltpowers01.html AOL Users Click here |
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Touching Lives - One E-mail at a Time! Author Michael T. Powers - HeartTouchers @ aol.com
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