Being Someone's Lucky Person

The third and last thing in my series of random things is:

Being Someone's Lucky Person and Carelessly Eating Two Cakes.

Last Tuesday morning I visited my friend Li Feng. She offered me a cup of jasmine tea and two warmed up coconut cakes. She poured a cup of tea for herself, which she doesn't usually do. Then she asked me to help her enter a Readers Digest Competition. She had scratched a box revealing a special number, which meant she was eligible to enter. The prize was a car, or $55,000. If you help me, I'm lucky, she said. If I win, I share the money with you.

I called the number on the entry form and was surprised to be answered by a real person. Now ma'am, said the real person, I want you to give me your unique number. I gave her a number that was printed on the form. Is there another number there, ma'am? she asked. So I gave her a number that was printed at the top. Is there any other number there at all, ma'am? she persevered. No, I said. You need to lift the red tab ma'am, she said. I indicated to Li Feng to lift the tab. The number under the tab was the same as the number at the top of the form. It all began to seem rather complicated. But the real person was happy with that number.

I gave her Li Feng's details. What will your friend do if she wins the $500,000? asked the real person. I said I didn't know. I wasn't going to say I thought the prize was only $55,000, or a car.

Does your friend subscribe to the Readers Digest? asked the real person.

No, I said. She doesn't.

That's fine ma'am, she still has a chance of winning the prize. Would your friend like to subscribe to the Readers Digest? We have a 50% off at the moment.

No, thankyou, my friend doesn't read very much English.

Would your friend like to buy a subscription as a gift for a friend?

No, I don't think she would.

Very well. Thank you ma'am. Have a nice day.

Thankyou. Goodbye.

Ooh! Very difficult! said Li Feng, after I'd put down the phone. I lucky you do that for me. If I win, we share. And she poured me another cup of tea.

So that all went extremely well. It was only later in the afternoon remembering these events that I was struck by a terrible thought. Perhaps I wasn't meant to have eaten both the cakes.