$14,000,000

Dreams for Free Log, 2 June 2012

Charlie’s Grocery isn’t open on Saturday mornings so I purchased this batch of lottery tickets in convenience store at the BP gas station near Friendly Center. I exchanged the Mega Millions tickets for dreams at the annual Mosaic Festival at the Cultural Center Park in downtown Greensboro. The Mosaic Festival is a celebration of diversity in our community with a jam-packed schedule of events and a full house of ethnic food vendors, crafts, jewelry, games for kids, and information booths throughout the park.

The event attracted Greensboro (or nearby) residents who hail from all over the world. I approached a group of Asian and Middle Eastern college-aged students whose first language clearly wasn’t English. All of the young men and women thought it was fun to dream—except one woman—her friend said she was from such a wealthy family that she didn’t even need the money to give it away.

People at the festival were generous with sharing their dreams with me. I have found that people are more inclined to take time to dream while recreating, instead of on a lunch break or on the way somewhere when they are pressed for time. Only three people said no to dreaming as opposed to numerous others who have brushed me off in the past.

I had a long chat with three women working the Red Cross booth—two of them filled in their dreams while one of the women said she had everything she wants and that the lottery could ruin her. She didn’t elaborate—making her reason more ominous in my mind. I wondered if she was afraid of the money ruining her relationships or if she would indulge in unhealthy behaviors.