Dave Finds Crazy, Stupid Luck in Windsor, Colorado

After work the other day, I needed cash, some eye drops and gas. King Soopers on Main Street in Windsor was the place I headed.  Before I would get back on Main to head home, I would come across some of the craziest stupid luck I've seen in a long time.

Sure, I'm a lucky guy to get to work in radio here in Windsor. I know that. But when the kind of serendipitous luck that I had happens, I have to share the story! It goes like this:

I went into the King Soopers in Windsor and hit up the ATM for $40 (I need to put $20 into the Chicago Trip fund at the house and $20 ‘walking around’ money). No problems there. I head over and get some eye drops (the eye drops are a whole OTHER story, for another day). I use the self-checkout area. I paid cash for the eye drops ($3 or so). Good to go. I get in the car and drive over to the gas pumps.

As I’m getting gas, I see one of those coolers of refreshments and think: “I could really go for a bottle of Pepsi”. I used my card to pay for the gas, but I have that cash I took out inside the store to pay for the Pespi, and why not, I'll get a Colorado Lottery scratch ticket too.

As I get in my car after paying for the pop and scratcher, I realize that I’m way short on cash. I should have about $32: $40 minus $3 for the eye drops and $5 for the pop and scratcher; but I’m upwards of $17 off.  I start freaking out… ‘What the what?! Did that guy just rip me off? No. Damn! What did I do?!”

Then it hits me—I must have left my change from a $20 bill after buying the eye drops, in that tray that the self-checkout machines have. Just great! What a dope! I check my receipt- $16.71 was my change- I have the $.71. The rest of the cash is probably gone by now.

I get back over to the store. By this time, about 10-15 minutes have gone by. I get in there, and the King Soopers cashier who was working the self-checkout area was still there. Cool. She might remember me from 10-15 minutes ago.  I look over at the station I was using to checkout- low and behold- the cash is still there- just waiting to be pocketed!  I tell the cashier my problem- show her my receipt – and she agrees that the $16 in the tray must be the $16 from my receipt.  Crisis- averted!

I couldn't believe the luck!  I can tell you this- I hardly EVER keep my receipt for one item – I usually just dump it with the bag on my way out. Furthermore, I almost NEVER hit up the kiosk for a soda or scratch tickets after getting gas. If hadn't done that, I would have just driven off! By the time I would've have realized my error, that cash would have been long gone- whether I had a receipt or not!

Later on, I finally scratched that $3 lottery ticket. My luck had ran out. Not a winner.

Sure, it was only $16, but come on- Have you ever had crazy stupid luck like that?