The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

THE LOTTERY

ON OCTOBER 20, 1981., MY MOTHER WON THE LOTTERY AND HER PRIZE
WAS 2700.00. ON OCTOBER 21, 1981. MY SISTER AND I TRAVELED TO
LANSING TO PICK UP MY MOTHER'S WINNINGS. IT WAS A COOL RAINY
DAY AND I HAD JUST GOTTEN OUT OF CLASS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT
I THEN CALLED MY SISTER THOMASINE, WHO ASKED ME TO WAIT FOR MY
YOUNGEST SISTER JANICETTE TO GET OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL. I REFUSED,
AND INSISTED THAT DELORES TRAVELED WITH ME. THOMASINE GOT ANGRY.
I DROVE TO DELORES'S HOUSE AND ARRIVED THERE AT 1:00PM. SHE AND
MY NEPHEWS GOT IN THE CAR AND WE HEADED TO LANSING. IT WAS A DAY
TO REMEMBER. IT WAS RAINING VERY HARD, SO THAT I COULD HARDLY SEE
TWO FEET IN FRONT OF ME. ALL THE WAY THERE DELORES HAD CHILLS.
WE REACHED THE LOTTERY BUREAU AND PICKED UP THE CHECK. WE WENT TO THE NEAREST BANK AND CASHED THE CHECK AND PROCEEDED TO
FIND A RESTAURANT FOR A LATE LUNCH. WE WENT TO KENTUCKY FRIED
CHICKEN AND ATE.
I TOLD DELORES THAT IT WAS HER TURN TO DRIVE AND SHE PROCEEDED TO
DO SO, AS WE LEFT THE OUTSKIRTS OF LANSING, DELORES INFORMED ME
THAT "I'M GETTING SICK". SHE FAINTED AND I GRABBED THE WHEEL.
I PLACED ONE FOOT OVER HERS AND STOPPED THE CAR.
AT THAT MOMENT THE CAR CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. I CLIMBED OVER
HER AND OPENED THE DOOR. I GOT COMPLETELY OUT OF THE CAR AND TOOK
HER IN MY ARMS AND TRIED TO REVIVE HER. THE CHILDREN WERE FRANTIC.
DELORES DIED IN MY ARMS AND AT THAT VERY MOMENT IT STARTED TO SNOW.
WE BURIED DELORES ON OCTOBER 27, 1981.

Submitter comment: THIS IS A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION TO DISCUSS BUT I WANTED TO
SHARE MY EXPERIENCE WITH DELORES WITH THE WORLD.

Where learned: DETROIT ; PARENTS HOME

Date learned: 02-20-1984