7
EPOV
"Moving On"
Wednesday is shaping up to be a busy day. I'm meeting with my financial advisor, Ben Cheney, to talk about options and to liquidate some assets to make sure I can secure the house. Then I have an appointment at the Olympia lottery office. Then I'll go see my lawyer to protect myself.
After that? I'm pretty sure the world is my oyster or some shit like that. I've been wanting to take some time off, away from work, my family, and the city. Get away and relax. But because I'm always worried about the other shoe dropping, my family needing me … I'm still here. That's going to change.
Ben's office is in downtown Seattle and getting there first thing in the morning is no small feat, but when I arrive, he has fresh coffee waiting for me. "You sounded a little cryptic in your message, Ed. I've been watching everything, and there hasn't been much movement. Did you win the lottery or are you investing on your own?"
Ben's laughing heartily, but he stops short as he realizes that I haven't joined in.
"I won the Powerball." The office goes eerily quiet. Ben reaches for the TV remote and mutes the financial channel, all while staring at me.
"You won? Like you actually won?"
I nod. "Two people won the 385 million dollar jackpot. I'm one of them." I shoot him a wry smile as he blinks his shock away.
"Let's talk about options."
An hour later, Ben has exhausted all the ways I can invest, save, and collect my money. He's never had a lottery client, but he does have uber wealthy clients. I trust Ben; I always have. I know I can count on him to do the right thing, but I also know, from what my father went through, that I shouldn't put all my eggs in one basket.
A lot of the money will go into savings and a few high-yield CDs. "I'm going to take some time off," I tell Ben, and he has the good grace to feign surprise.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm not sure, but I've been meaning to take a vacation, and now seems like a good enough time." I tell him about the house, and he balks a little, advising me not to blow all the money I already have before I get my big payout.
"My family will come for me. I have to protect myself."
"They won't be able to touch you, Edward. I promise you that." He proposes a plan to get my finances in order and some tips on what to do once the house is in escrow.
The drive is only about ninety minutes, but I'm in no rush. As I'm driving, I'm taking a mental inventory of the cars around me—window shopping for my new wheels. I love my truck; it works perfectly for my job, but as a personal vehicle, it's rough.
Maybe I should wait a few weeks, or at least until I get the house, to look at cars. I've always been frugal, and it feels good to spend, but I should probably rein it in a little. I move car shopping down on the mental checklist as I approach the unassuming building and pull into a parking spot.
The building itself is white and gray with the smallest sign possible. I didn't expect it to have a blazing neon sign parked out front, but this place is more inconspicuous than a Jiffy Lube. I gather up my ticket and all my documentation and head inside. The inside almost reminds me of a check-cashing place or a Western Union.
There's a clerk behind a desk with a glass partition, and when I check in and tell her I have an appointment, she barely bats an eye. She tells me to take a seat and someone will be with me in a moment. I check my watch, and I'm suddenly grateful that Ben keeps early hours and I took the first available appointment to file my claim. It's only a little before nine AM, and I doubt this will take that long.
Before I realize it, I'm being whisked to an office to verify my information and my ticket. It's all very simple and methodical. Then I get asked the 385-million-dollar question: "Do you wish to remain anonymous?"
I'm temporarily stunned. "I didn't realize that was an option."
"You can decide either way. We ask because we like to do the photo op and news conference with the winners and the giant check." She's making notes on her computer as she speaks. "I'll ask the other winner when they come in today."
I'm really sort of confused by all of this. "Do I have to decide right now?"
"Of course not. Processing takes about two weeks, so we'll call to check in and see if you want to go public. If so, you'll come back here, and we'll do a little ceremony." She turns to look at me. "It's completely up to you."
"Thanks. It's all just a little overwhelming right now."
"I understand how it could be. For now, just lie low and live your life like you usually would, okay?" She hands all my documents back to me and smiles. "We'll be in touch soon."
I thank her and make my way out of the back hallways and into the front lobby. In two weeks, I'll be a multi-millionaire. My phone rings just as I'm exiting the building, and I hold the door for this gorgeous brunette who shoots me a grateful smile. I wonder if she hit it big on a scratcher or something before answering the call.
"Ben? What's the good news?"
