Something Really Nice Happened

When I was little, my dad used to always say: there's no such thing as lucky people, just people who work hard. This "talk" usually came when I was interrogated about my lackluster performance in math class, and I patiently explained the injustice of life and how only a lucky few (myself regrettably excluded) found math to be a comprehensible subject.

The question of my unmathematical brain aside, I really am not the luckiest person. When I was a toddler, every single time we went to the park, unseen forces conspired to ensure I toddled right into a big soft pile of dog poop. A day at the park was not complete without that squish, that stench, and that look of resignation on my parents' faces.

By about seven, I had developed a big mouth and the uncanny knack for saying horrible things about people when the subject of my derision, unbeknownst to me (it was always unbeknownst), was in hearing range. It was truly eerie, the way I could "call" people to me. All I had to say was "Marc is a big poo-poo head," and brrrringg, all eyes would drift uneasily to a point beyond my head, and I would just know that if I turned, I would find Marc the Poo-Poo Head standing right behind me.

As I grew older, and for inexplicable reasons was required to endure countless enforced Bingo matches--employed as a "learning tool" by the various educational institutions I attended--I grew indifferent to games of chance or "luck" because, first, I do not find them entertaining and, second, I never ever win (which rather eliminates any potential for excitement).

Anyhow, because I know better, I can never be bothered to participate in lucky draws, lotteries, or anything of that sort. Even when I'm involuntarily entered, due to being a guest at a party for example, I'm not the slightest bit tempted to save the slip of paper I'm given, to find out if my number is called.

Which is why I was totally blown away by a recent email I received from eGullet. The last time someone from that good board contacted me directly, it was to inform me that I had committed plagiarism and that my unlawful post had been removed. (I had copied and pasted a recipe from a food website, thinking that since it was freely accessible to the public, it would thus be acceptable to share with others. Was told that I should have provided only the link to the actual page.). So when I saw I had another message in my member's mailbox, I felt a sinking feeling of dread. God, what had I done now?

Nothing! The message said "I'm pleased to announce the winners of the book drawing," and I saw that I was one of the winners! Book drawing? Huh? Me, a lucky winner? How bizarre.

I had been completely unaware of a book drawing when I participated last week in a Q&A session on eGullet with professional bread baker Peter Reinhart. I had in fact felt rather ridiculous, asking my silly beginner's questions, but I couldn't pass up the chance to get answers from Peter Reinhart, writer of The Bread Baker's Apprentice!

Anyhow, it seems that I have won a copy of Mr. Reinhart's Crust & Crumb, a book I have on my fantasy Amazon Wish List--"fantasy" because although I really have a wish list on Amazon, I'm never actually going to get any of those wonderful, expensive, decadently unnecessary books.

I'm not sure I believe this sudden, freakish, and wondrous occurrence that fairly smacks of the L word--luck, that is. I was practically dancing at the keyboard when I found out the good news. Still, all those years of dog poop, angry stares burning into the back of my neck, and bingo games... I can't quite shake the feeling that this is not really happening. Or rather, this is not going to happen. Until I feel the book in my hands, run my fingers over the pages, I won't allow myself to get too excited. Perhaps there was a mistake. Maybe they won't ship a prize all the way to Japan. All kinds of things could happen.

I shall wait and see. Most likely, in a few days, just before the delivery van departs, my brief brush with luck will have run its course.