On February 4th, 2016 (just ten days before Valentine’s Day) the Orlando Sentinel published a local story that claimed in the title: “Ex-Lovers Differ on Lottery Ticket Promise” (B2). Lynn, a retired school teacher from Seminole County, won a million bucks in the Florida State Lottery. Happiness did not ensue. Her former “live-in lover,” Howard, had filed suit to collect his half because she refused to give it to him though, according to him, if either of them ever won, they had a longstanding agreement to share in the reward. He lamented that this “dispute had wrecked their 16-year romance.”
Really? Is that what we’re calling 16 years of fornication–a romance? The dictionary lists a multitude of definitions for romance, including “a love affair” and “a strong, usually short-lived attachment or enthusiasm.” Sixteen years seems a bit long to qualify as a romance. Howard and Lynn also disagree as to how long they were together. She aid the relationship terminated four years earlier than he did. And Lynn told the jury that she “never, under any condition, any place, anywhere” ever promised to share half of any prospective winnings with Howard. So, who is the jury supposed to believe? They did live together and were renovating a farm house that belonged to Lynn. Both are now 62 and still not married to each other or anyone else.
As one might imagine, there are two different versions regarding the winning ticket. Howard says they ate dinner at Red Lobster and stopped at a convenience store later, where he spent $20 on lottery tickets, which she kept. Lynn says she had dinner alone at Sonny’s BBQ and stopped at a convenience store on the way home to her mother’s. She said she ran into him by chance there–after she had paid for her own lottery tickets. However, there is a third version. She listed a different convenience store in the deposition. So, who is correct? Was it a 12-year “romance” or one that had lasted 16 years? Were they together as a couple when the ticket was purchased, or just together by accident?
The jury believed him and awarded him $291,000. No one knows if Lynn has any of the money left, and she left the court house without comment. Howard said their relationship changed immediately after the winning lottery ticket was announced. He said that she cashed out and then disappeared for a month. She refused to answer any of his phone calls. Why should he be surprised? First, they both ignored God’s institution of marriage for 12 or 16 years, depending upon whose version of the story one believes. Second they both had a covetous streak–wanting to get rich off someone else’s money. Is anyone surprised that one or both of them would lie? The willingness to disobey one or two of God’s precepts sets the stage for denying all of them.