Lucky Number

by John Milne

(Adapted book. Starter level)

Cafe Colombo is always busy. There are always people sitting at the tables in Cafe Colombo. The men and women are all well-dressed. They drink coffee. They eat ice-cream. They read newspapers.

Charlie does not sit in Cafe Colombo. Charlie is not well-dressed. He sits on the pavement outside Cafe Colombo. He sits on a small box. Charlie is a shoeshine boy.

Charlie shines shoes. He does not go to school. He works all day.

Charlie shines men's shoes. He shines ladies' shoes. He shines black shoes. He shines brown shoes. He shines blue shoes.

'Shoeshine! Shoeshine! Ten cents! Ten cents! Ten cents a shine!'

A man in Cafe Colombo shouts, 'Charlie!'

Charlie runs into Cafe Colombo. He puts his box at the man's feet. The man puts one foot on the box.

The man's shoes are black. The man's shoes are dirty. Charlie cleans the man's shoes.

The man gives Charlie ten cents. Charlie takes the ten cent coin. He picks up his box. He goes back to the pavement.

An old man walks slowly along the pavement. The old man is carrying a large hoard. There is a notice on the board. The old man is selling lottery tickets.

'Buy a ticket! Win a fortune! One dollar a ticket!'

'Give me a ticket! Hurry!'

A well-dressed man in Cafe Colombo is shouting.

The ticket-seller gives the man a ticket. The man gives the ticket-seller a dollar.

The well-dressed man is in a hurry. A taxi is waiting. The man puts the ticket in his pocket quickly.

The man gets into the taxi. The ticket falls out of his pocket. The wind blows the ticket into the air.

Charlie catches the ticket. He has the ticket in his hand.

Charlie waves his arms. He shouts out loudly.

The man does not hear Charlie. The taxi moves away. Charlie stands on the pavement. The ticket is in his hand.

'Your ticket! Your ticket!'

Cafe Colombo closes at midnight. Charlie's home is far away. Every night, Charlie has a long walk home.

Charlie's mother is waiting for him. He gives her all the money.

Charlie has no father. Charlie has younger brothers and younger sisters. Charlie's mother needs the money. She buys food with the money.

Charlie shows his mother the lottery ticket. His mother looks at the ticket.

She reads the number

'- SEVEN - FIVE - THREE - EIGHT - ONE - TWO -NINE - FOUR - SIX.'

Is this the winning number? Perhaps it is. Saturday 21st is tomorrow. Perhaps tomorrow will be their lucky day!

Charlie is tired. He puts the ticket on his box. He falls asleep.

Charlie has a dream.

A goat comes into the house. The goat finds the ticket.

The goat is eating the ticket. The goat eats the number six.

The goat eats the number four. The goat eats the number nine.

Charlie wakes up. It is morning. The ticket is not on the box! Where is the ticket?

Charlie runs to the lottery office. Charlie sees his mother. She has the ticket!

A man is shouting out the winning number.

'Seven - five - three - eight -one - two - nine - four -'

Will the next number be six? Will it be their lucky number? Will it be their lucky day?

-The End-