"A True Tale of Argentine Life" - The Lottery Ticket

On her way back home from the butcher's, Mother has legendarily stopped off at the Lottery Agency, which lies two blocks away from my parents' place. She finds it a pretty unavoidable temptation, like the alluring, inescapable door to hell. Father has always been in conflict with this practice.

- "Well blow me if that isn't my wife, trying to skulk away with her latest sin in one hand, and some meat in the other!" - He teased her that morning.
- "Well blow me if this isn't the winning ticket for the evening! I'm sick and tired of your complaints!" - Mother answered.

Thursting the meat and purse on the table, she strode out of the kitchen. She was well aware that he hated her doing this. It was a most irritating habit she had taken to. The numbers were 67 - 29 - 83 - 26 - 5. They were related to his age, the number of years they'd been married, granny's next birthdy, my own age and at last my son's. She had been betting on those numbers for the last decades. She had made the necessary modifications required by the passing of years, naturally, but basically the parameter had been maintained all along.

At the usual time, the peroxide blonde announced on TV: .- "8 pm, Lottery Time". The winning numbers of the day started oozing out of the presenter's lips like rose petals abandoning their crade: "Five... Twenty six... Twenty nine... Sixty seven... " Suddenly the lights went off and while we awaited, father collapsed.

Mother found out which the last number was once the power returned. And the last number was seventy five, so, once again, she had not been the winner. But poor Father, out of guilt, had a heart attack when the lights went off, convinced that Mother's ticket was the winner and he had spoiled it all. He did believe in God, rather vehemently. No doubt about it, he must have considered it a form of punishment for having been so intolerant with Mother. He was immediately clasped between the Hands of the Lord, unfortunately. Nothing could be done. Mother might never win any money from betting, but having ridden of her principal gambling hindrance seemed quite enough for starters...

Self corrections and after writing reflections: https://docs1.google.com/document/d/1NSB_NYX0g9xAWyTxQSYf8ChSpYSIO_lfTBV5PTLTGew/edit##