Everyday we had a routine, I would walk Charlie to school then start my job shoe shining. We got up assuming that it would be a normal day until we saw a crowd around one of the light poles. Charlie and I both being short managed to get to the front. Now we could see what this was all about it was a flyer from Willy Wonka!

It read 'Dear people of the world, I, Willy WOnka, have decided to allow five children to visit my factory this year. In addition, one of these children shall receive a special prize beyond anything you could ever imagine.'

Charlie and I raced home to tell everybody the news. School forgotten and the shoe shining stand unopened that day.

That day the news was all about the golden tickets hidden across the world in candy bars. We all discussed how wonderful it would be to open a chocolate bar and find a ticket inside. Charlie and I were both down because we both only get one bar per year. I tried to cheer Charlie up by reminding him that his birthday was next week. Then Grandma Josephine told him that he had the same chance as anybody.

Of course Grandpa pessimist had to ruin it again.

"Balderdash. The kids who're going to find the golden tickets are the ones who can afford to buy candy bars everyday. Our kids get only one a year. They don't have a chance"

I shot a dirty look at Grandpa George as Grandma Josephine tried to cheer up our youngest family member.

"Mark my words, the kid who finds the first ticket will be fat, fat, fat."

For once in his life Grandpa George was right for that very day we saw the first ticket winner. His name was Augustus Gloop from Germany. He was the largest child I had ever seen I was amazed that he didn't have Diabetes yet. I watched in disgust as he started to shove more candy down his face.

Grandma Josephine hit the nail on the head when she called the kid repulsive.

A few days went by without anymore tickets being found until one day when we came home another repulsive child had found the second ticket. Her name was Veruca Salt. The worst part about it was that she didn't even find the ticket herself.

"She's even worse than the fat boy" I had never agreed with George more.

"That really wasn't fair. She didn't find the ticket herself." I said sadly

Mum rushed through the door with Dad both smiling.

"We thought maybe you'd wanna open your birthday present tonight."

"Maybe I should wait till morning" Charlie said

"Like hell"

"Grandpa" I admonished him

"All together we are four hundred and two years old. We don't wait."

Mum and Dad tried to soften the blow should he not get it and sure enough when the wrapper came off there was no ticket. I felt like crying I had no idea how Charlie must have felt.

Charlie went on to give us all a portion of his candy bar despite our objections.

The very next day Charlie rushed through the door with a newspaper after coming home from school.

"Who found it?" I asked sadly

The third ticket was found by Violet Beauregarde, an overall brutish girl who was overconfident and always had to win. She chewed gum like a cow chews its cud.

"What a beastly girl." Josephine said

"Despicable" Georgina added in

"You don't know what we're talking about" George snapped at his wife

"Dragonflies?"

I smiled at her kindly but the smile was wiped from my face as the fourth ticket winner was put on Television.

He was ghastly playing some video game where you shoot people. Then on top of it he found the ticket for the hell of it managing to figure out which bar to buy. The child ended saying that he didn't even like chocolate. This set George off and me as well.

"Well it's a good thing you're going to a chocolate factory you ungrateful little bastard, what the bloody hell does he think he's playing at, the fucking little twerp. My own fucking grandchildren can't get a ticket yet this little shit is. No fucking way." He yelled at the same time as I yelled

"What the fuck, that is so fucking wrong. Why the hell would he want to go to a CHOCOLATE FACTORY if he bloody hates chocolate. That little shit better pay or I'll track down the little wanker and shove a chocolate bar so far up his ass he'll never get it out."

I never curse unless I'm provoked and this definitely provoked me. Dad uncovered Charlie's ears and I blushed.

"Sorry" I said softly.

"Dad?"

"Yes, Charlie"

"Why aren't you at work?"

"Well the factory decided to give him a vacation" I cut in seeing the panicked look on my parents faces. I knew the truth about dad getting laid off and replaced by a machine to boost sales.

Charlie went up to our room as I sat down to talk to the only awake Grandparent, Joe.

We called down Charlie and gave him some money out of Grandpa's 'secret hoard' Then I grabbed some of the money I had saved up for candy as well and we went to get two chocolate bars.

Joe was asleep when we got back so we woke him up then opened both bars with still no luck.

The next day Charlie and I were walking to school when we stopped at the Wonka gates. Both of us closing our eyes and praying that we would find the last ticket. Our hopes were dashed by two men walking by talking about how the last ticket had been found in Russia. With a heavy heart I went through the day until Charlie came bursting into our house screaming about finding the last golden ticket.