We all know about “luck”, it’s usually distributed in the form of either ‘bad’ or ‘good’ －with practically every task we set out to do, one or the other frequently comes into play. We all know people, who seem at least, to have the “good luck” factor cornered somehow; no matter what the task, the projects end turns up roses. And, we all know a few people who easily fit into the opposite category of “bad luck”.
It’s typical to notice luck a great deal more I suppose when the type of luck being dispensed is considered to be of the good variety as opposed to the bad. But there is a third kind of luck that some folks experience routinely, I call it Strange Luck. Strange luck can be good or bad, or a little mix of both and I’m living proof that, for some, it’s a fact of life.
I expect, the best way to relate this type of luck is to offer up a few examples that I have personally experienced:
Back when I worked for a living; I was directed by the president & owner of the company that employed me at the time to up-grade the 4-wheel drive style SUV which the company so graciously provided for all of my transportation needs. He further suggested that I go to several auto dealerships, pick out the vehicle that I liked, get a best price offer and then purchase the auto from the dealer offering the best price. The only other advice that he suggested was to “be reasonable in making my selection”.
Within a couple of days, I had selected a vehicle which I liked as well as any—in my view at least, and perhaps my vanity came into play here—I later decided the only short coming that the vehicle had was the rather bland standard issue rims/wheels which were stock options for the vehicle.
About sixty thousand miles later, I was in need of new tires for the vehicle and I determined, what better time than this to purchase 4 new, more pleasing to the eye, rims. So, I ordered them from the local Goodyear merchant; within a couple of days the dealer called to tell me that the new rims had arrived.
Wouldn’t you know it, turned out that one of the 4 rims was a bit different to the other 3 … The small orifices (oral cavities) where you have to place the nuts to hold the rim and tire in place were too small for a standard tire tool to fit onto. But a special tool called a “thin walled” socket would work just fine, although this resulted in a significant leverage disadvantage in tightening and removing the wheel’s lug nuts which made it a little more difficult to use. In other words, the alternative tool required a smaller and shorter handle which resulted in a severe loss of leverage when removing or replacing the lug nuts.
That experience in it’s self was a bit of strange luck in my view but rather than order a new one as was suggested by the shop manager; I simply said “just put the odd sized rim on the vehicle but, place it in the location that is least likely to pick-up (in the shop manager’s experience at least) a nail, screw, or etc. that is apt to result in a flat tire.” … … During the next few years, I experienced less than a half dozen flat tires, each of which were on the rim with the small orifices. And yes, after each flat I had the tire placed upon a different location, foolishly thinking the next flat would occur on one of the other three (3) tires: Strange, huh?
Episode #2: Several years back, in early Spring, my 2nd wife and I were in a rather large sub-division looking for a specific address (oh, keep in mind, this was long before GPS devices were commonplace); since neither of us had been there before she immediately suggested I stop and ask for directions from one of the several folks that were apparently taking an afternoon stroll. After about 15 minutes, I reluctantly agreed to ask the very next person we saw walking on the sidewalk.
There just ahead, loomed a young man enjoying the afternoon sunshine. I pulled along side and boldly ask for directions. After a brief pause, he reached into his shirt pocket, removed a business type card and handed it to me. In bold Red letters the card read: “Sorry, I’m deaf and dumb.”
Yes, when sharing our unusual experience with the host & friend we had been in search of, we were informed the gentleman we spoke to was the only ‘deaf and dumb’ resident in the entire subdivision.
#3, a more recent event: I was required to submit a monthly rent check to the office personnel located less than 25 yards away from the entrance of my former apartment. There were probably more than two hundred other individuals / households within the complex that did the same thing every month. The “up-tight” nature of my personality required that I perform this simple task on the first or second day of each month.
On no less than two successive occasions (yep, one month followed by the next) the “office” determined that I had failed to pay the rent which on both occasions resulted in a visit to my apartment during which time I had to contact the banking institution via phone and have them speak to the “office rep” so as to acknowledge that the check had been paid. Once may not be too big of a deal, but twice in a row. Strange, don’t you think?
Fortunately, I figured out a way to prevent this from happening again — each time thereafter, when I paid the rent, I insist the person who accepted the payment sign a copy of the ‘payment check’ which I keep for the next false accusation. Right, it never happened again!
Just one more example, (among many) please, bear with me here. The Shriner’s Club from my hometown sponsors an annual charity benefit dinner every year at a hundred Bucks a “plate”. As part of the attraction, they have devised a little game of a sort in which a prize of $5,000.00 is awarded to the lucky winner by way of a simple drawing from a large clear jar (for lack of a better term). Inside the jar, small plastic numbered “pills” are placed that match each ticket that has been sold. If your ticket number is drawn from the jar at the right time, then you win.
The one thing that makes this a little different is the fact that the last number or pill drawn from the “mix” is deemed the winner as opposed to the first. And of course, the “drawing” transpires during the meal. When only 10 pills remain in the jar, those individuals who have a ticket number that has not been called are placed at the front of the crowd and offered the chance to split the 5K equally between the remaining 10 people. If even 1 person refuses the split, the drawing continues until only 5 remain, at such time the same offer is made.
I can honestly say that this is the only prize that I have ever won by a drawing; not just once or twice but four (4) out of the four (4) times I attended the annual event. That’s the good news, but if there must be bad news applied here, each time the 5-way split was applied.
I would call each of the ‘episodes’ described above as Strange Luck; what do you think?
Source: Just a little bit more than 73 years residing among the living.
Can You Imagine That
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