EASY COME AND GO

The bus was on its long haul to Mohegan Sun, to deliver its passengers to the portals of self-denial. Mohegan Sun would do what TLW (The Little Woman) normally does, and that is taking all my money.

The organizer of the trip announced that we would be playing BINGO to while away the time. One card has three games, and it costs $2 a card.

“TLW: “You want to play?’

“OK”

Reaching into her special stash of cash, she pulls out $8 and buys four cards. We play and I win, sharing the winnings with a few other people. The winnings amount to $7 for me.

I WON! I WON!

$7 is not a big deal, but it was a day to gamble, so I hoped that it was a harbinger of things to come.

The lady, who organized the game, comes over and hands me the winnings. I reach out, take the money, and before I can even look at it, TLW has intercepted the small fortune!

“What happened?”

TLW:” Well, since I laid out the money, I should get the winnings!”

“Huh?” (My standard answer when not sure)

TLW: “I laid out the $4 so I should have the money.”

“WAAAAITH A MINUTE! Hold on a cotton-picking minute there, Momma! Half of that money should be mine! YOU didn’t win, I did. So fork over half!”

The next morning as TW was getting ready for work, I started thinking.

“You know, after watching enough of Judge Judy, (Yes, I do have a legal background) and the fact that you gave me the money, any judge would award me the full amount of the winnings! You offered to pay for my games. You never stipulated that if I won I would turn over the winnings to you! And another thing, my $4 won the $7! So how do YOU get half of it????” (My mamma raised a smart kid!)

TLW: “Well, it came from my pocket book. Besides, it seems I always open my pocket book, YOU never open your wallet.”

“But for 40 years, it was always our money, not mine! When you stayed home, it was “our money” and God help me if I ever said “My money” when we bought anything.”

I won the argument, but not the other half of the money.