Sorry. Not A Winner

Oh well, I didn't win the Powerball tonight. Somebody in Nebraska did. Congrats to them. I didn't even need to know someone in Nebraska won to know I didn't. I don't even have to check my numbers.

Sorry. Not a winner.

I hate the friggin' machine in the convenience store where you scan your ticket to see if you've won.

Sorry. Not a winner.

I swear that's all the machine is programmed to say. At least that's all it ever says to me. I've never won a single nickel on the Powerball.

Sorry. Not a winner.

I can almost hear the damned machine snicker as I walk away.