Winning the Lottery Plus Shopping Really is a Mood Elevator

"I don't know...what do you think?" Rosanne turned halfway and studied her reflection in the large mirror at Barden's Boutique, Schuyler Square's most exclusive store.

"You look gorgeous!" the clerk, Sally, assured her. "That color does something for you--makes you look ten years younger."

"Really?" Rosanne asked doubtfully. The dress did fit like a dream but it was so unlike anything she'd ever worn. She was used to jeans and comfortable sweaters, not form fitting dresses made out of some kind of material that looked like velvet but felt a lot more comfortable. Rosanne sighed, feeling hopeless. "I just don't know...how much does it cost?"

"It's been marked down to $500.00."

Rosanne almost fainted. "I didn't pay that much for my wedding dress!"

"Rosanne, you just won the lottery. You can buy this entire store if you want to. This is no time to be cheap," Sally chided.

"I may have won the lottery but I don't feel rich. I feel the same. I wish we weren't going to Mavis Schuyler's Christmas party. I have the feeling that it's going to make me sick."

"Mavis invited you to her Christmas bash? You are moving up in the world!"

"Not really. It's just because of the money. I'm sure Mavis will still treat Mike and me like we should be out in the kitchen scraping the dishes instead of mingling with her hoity-toity guests."

"So why are you going?" Sally asked. "Life is too short to be miserable even for one evening."

Rosanne studied her reflection one more time. She did look nice, much nicer than usual, but Sally was totally right. Life was too short to do something as asinine as spend an evening with Mavis Schuyler and the almost embalmed crowd that would undoubtedly be at the Christmas bash. "I will take the dress," she announced.

"You're going to go to the party?"

"No, I'm going to wear it to the party I'm giving at my house. You're invited, Sally. I'm going to invite everyone I know. Even Mavis."

"Now you're talking!" Sally said. "Are you going to invite that cute guy she's dating too? Vlad something or other. He's gorgeous. I don't know how someone as awful as Mavis keeps getting these handsome guys to date her. It sure can't be her personality."

"Sure, I'll invite him too. It's about time Mavis learned how the other three-quarters of the world lives."

"Want to look at shoes?"

"You bet," Rosanne replied.