"Well, getting back to what it is you want to say to me," Jasper quickly recouped, "I'm listening." "All right," Janice said. She couldn't believe what she was about to ask him. A heartthrob, a regular, on a well-liked television soap who happened to be the son of her family's neighbors. Every girl on the block was in love with him. She, included, even if she refused to admit it, and too shy and timid to ask him out like the other girls had. "Just remember, I'll understand completely if you refuse." She took a deep breath, and with the words, "You see, I've drawn a million dollar lottery ticket, but I have this obsessive fear of the curse...." The words tumbled out and finally the request and the reasons she had chosen to ask him, his lucky nature and his disbelief in luck in general, to counterbalance any bad luck forthcoming. And finally, the offer to give him a percentage for his efforts, if he chose to do her the favor. Through all her spiel, he'd listened quietly, despite his clear astonishment. "Don't misread my astonishment for disrespect, please," he finally replied. "I'm honored that you would trust me enough to give me the ticket to cash for you, and I certainly don't need, and wouldn't in any case accept money to cash it for you, even if it didn't involve legal repercussions." She sensed a logical refusal coming, and before he uttered another word, she blurted, "Oh, for heaven's sake, if you didn't think so before, you definitely must think I'm crazy, now. You don't have to worry about how to refuse politely. Just ignore and forget everything I said. I'm beginning to think I am crazy, and no amount of money is worth that. I'll leave quickly, quietly." She started to stand intent on running, but he caught her arm. She was trembling, tears of frustration filling her eyes, glazing the dark brown irises to shimmering. "Wait, sit back down, take it easy," he soothed. "You're not crazy. Lots of folks believe in the curse associated with winning a lottery ticket of that amount." "I guess my only recourse is to go home and run the ticket through my shredder," Janice said, reverting to her initial decision." "Absolutely not," Jasper said. "Think of all the good you can do for your family." "Yes, I've heard that line. But I've also read about the many examples of sorry winners who cursed the day they ever bought the winning ticket in the first place." "Most examples of so-called cursed winners were already losers with self-destructive character issues long before they won. They entail a very small percentage of the winners. I don't believe in luck, either good or bad. We're responsible for our own lives. My trust is in the Lord. Not that I presume the Lord will make miracles for me at my beck and call. No, but I do know the Lord is always there, ready to lend me strength and His shoulder, or if you prefer, Her shoulder, to lean on and keep me going, no matter what life throws at me." It was true what they said about him, Janice thought, her heartbeat quickening with admiration and respect for this young man. He had a kind heart and a pure soul, the Lord's light shining through it. And he made sense, of course, she thought, resolving to follow whatever advice he gave her. "What do you advise me to do?" she asked. Jasper studied her visage. His gaze grew yielding and compassionate. His next words surprised her. "Do you know how lovely and desirable you are? "Me?" Janice asked. The shy mouse, she thought, with the obsessive fear of cashing in a million dollar winning ticket. Lovely and desirable? She controlled the urge to laugh. He was, no doubt, being kind, to ease her frustration.