Stroke of Luck

How often do you feel lucky by winning some lucky draws or to win some door prizes? Well, i've never in my life won anything, for that matter. Not even once that i've been giving up trying to participate into any lucky draws or contests in hope to win some prizes long ago. I believe that my luck lies elsewhere. But, is it a curse? A some kind of an unlucky totem that hung ever closely at my shadow, grinning profoundly whenever i was not lucky. Of course, since i'm a believer, none of that nonsense would allegedly accepted in both my logic and my faith. But the thought sometimes amused me.

Last Saturday, i was at Manchester United Cafe at Sarinah, Jakarta to see a big match between Arsenal against Manchester United. As custom to the cafe, when i made my registration, i was given a coupon to fill out with my predictions on the final score of the match, and a man of the match. I was right on both accounts.

The man of the match was easy, thus, i wasn't expected to win anything since hundreds of the patron would came out with the right answer. Now, the final score of the match which i answered correctly, that was another matter. Arsenal is currently a team that has been spotlighted by media and fans alike. With their young guns, and a considerable doubt since Thierry Henry was transfered out to Barcelona earlier this season, their undefeated record so far has been the highlight of the news. Manchester United, on the other hand, started out rather slow this season, but came back strong recently when their several last matches were won with at least four goals scored at each match. And with Wayne Rooney found his 'touch' with the goal-posts, i had a pretty much an insurance that Manchester United wasn't an easy opponent for Arsenal to beat. The only reason that prompt me to predicted a draw between the two teams was that the match was held at Empire Stadium, London, the home of Arsenal.

The final score of the match, as you would've known today, was 2-2. Arsenal was more superior in the midfield, but lack a considerable firepower at front, while Manchester Utd. had all the fire fully loaded, and the defence was at their utmost performance. Of all the hundreds patrons that night, only five (according to the Master of Ceremony) coupons answered correctly. Of which one of them would be picked to win a prize, Jakarta-Singapore-Jakarta flight ticket. That means, there are 20% chance that i was the winner. Tell me, how often do you get that big percentage of a chance from a quiz? And, with my personal history of the one who never ever wins anything (from drawing a coupon, or any of those methods that relies on luck) in my life, would you blame me that i had my hopes high that evening?

Well, of course, the unlucky totem grinning again, showing his ugly teeth, and somehow had give the winning chance to some girl instead. Ah, maybe my luck did lies elsewhere, though, i'm still unable to locate them correctly as of now.