Sammy's High Hopes

Honorable Mention---2/18/09

ID: 896794   (Rated: 13+) Daily Flash Fiction Challenge  Enter your story of 300 words or less. Note new starting time! by arakun the twisted raccoon

                                                 SAMMY’S HIGH HOPES

         Did you know that snails have a lottery?  Well they do.  They have just about everything we have, as a matter of fact, except legs and fingers and necks.  Snails have no necks. 

         They pick the winning ticket out of a bucket each day.  They tried to get Yolanda Vega to do the honors but she had other commitments.  Plus she hates snails.

         The odds against winning are as overwhelming as they are in the lottery we humans have, but some snails are sanguine, nevertheless. Sammy was a very optimistic snail.  Every week as soon as he got his pay he went straight to the stationery store to buy his ticket.

         His friends had many a good laugh at his expense but Sammy paid them no mind.  They asked him, “Saying you win someday, what are you going to do with the money?  Buy a ring for the missus?”

         This was meant to be a joke because of course; snails have no fingers and can’t wear rings.

         Sammy said “No.  I would buy a little car.”

         “A car!  What? Are you, crazy?  What does a snail want with a car?”

         “I could drive it around the garden and move faster than any snail before me.  I would have my car custom made with a big gold letter S emblazoned on the hood.”

         “What, S for stupid?”

         “No, S for Sammy.  And as I am driving around the garden at top speed, the other snails will all say ‘Wow! Look at that little S car go!”

255 words