Abdul’s diner was a typical Indian restaurant consisting of less than ten tables and a newspaper stand inside the room at the left of the entrance. Most of the tables were already occupied by men in traditional Indian outerwear vests when Amina and Clark walked in. They were received with disapproving looks.
A man in a large tunic with a folded cap of white cotton came to greet them in a heavily accented English, “Amina, what a pleasure! How are your parents?”
– “They’re great. Abdul, this is Clark, a friend. We’d like to have lunch.”
– “Of course, Amina. Would you like a scratch off ticket?” Abdul turned to Clark to explain, “It’s a joke between us. Did she tell you she was a math prodigy when she was little? She lectured me on Probability Theory when she was only nine, can you imagine that?” Abdul laughed. “Ah, but then she grew up to be an astonishing beauty—”
– “Abdul, would you stop it? And give me a ticket. I’m feeling lucky, today.”
Abdul stepped back to look at her. “Really?” He looked at her with round eyes.
Abdul went behind his stand, pulled out a box and spread out in front of them the scratch off tickets on the counter.
Amina turned to Clark. “Would you help me pick the ticket?”
– “How much would you like to win?” Clark asked.
Abdul and Amina looked at each other and started laughing. Clark’s tone was so matter-of-fact.
– “Let’s see,” said Amina, ticking off her fingers, “that nice dress, the car repair, oh and let’s not forget that pair of shoes to die for. I’ll say 20,000 rands should cover it. See? I’m not greedy. I didn’t ask for 10 million rands.”
Amina and Abdul were still laughing while Clark looked at the tickets.
– “Do you have any more?” he asked.
Abdul looked at him curiously, then took out some more tickets spreading them on top of the others. “Is it enough?” he asked, still finding the white man’s attempt to impress Amina funny.
– “So?” said Amina, arching her finely sculpted eyebrow.
Clark pointed at one ticket among the mass. “That one.”
Amina, playing his game, turned to Abdul. “Abdul, did you hear? That one it is.”
Abdul had already put back the rest of the tickets. “Alright, here’s your winner. Would you like me to scratch it for you, Amina?”
– “Please.” said Amina, looking in her purse for 20 rands to pay for the ticket.
Amina handed the money to Abdul who let out a soft cry, “Oh, my.”
– “What?” Amina asked.
Abdul was now scratching the ticket frantically with an expression of disbelief. “Oh, my. That’s—that’s, I don’t understand, it’s too—”
– “What, Abdul?” Amina laughed, “Are you leading me on?”
She snatched the ticket from Abdul’s hand and froze. There, on the ticket’s face, was printed the amount of 20,000 rands.
– “How? That’s impossible. The probability for it to be happening is—” she didn’t finished talking to herself. She turned to Clark wanting to ask him How did you do it? but she didn’t. The question was too ridiculous. Of course, he didn’t do it on purpose. No one can do it on purpose. It was just pure luck. But, still.
Amina flew in Clark’s arms, her arms around his neck. “We won, Clark. We won.”
She let go of him with a blush on her cheeks then said. “We share the prize, fifty-fifty.”
Clark tried to protest but Amina wouldn’t hear of it.
Abdul, still shaking his head in disbelief, led them to a table and handed them the menu. “I’ll have your money when you leave.” he said.
