Travis McGee Strikes it Rich

He was one lucky son-of-a-bitch and he knew it. Every day, he thanked the gods of the lottery for his good fortune. He’d won it - at least, half of it. The other half went to the guy he just happened to run into at his local tavern. He’d bought a lottery ticket and having drunk up his pocket money, offered to sell half of it to Travis. His name was Joe Sweeny - of unknown origin. Travis bought him a beer and half the lottery ticket was his.

When the right number came up he couldn’t believe it, eighteen million dollars was a lot of money even after the taxman got his portion. He and Joe set the bar up night after night then went on a three week drunk hitting every bar in Sydney. Somewhere along the way he’d lost Joe and that was alright with Travis, he didn’t particularly like the fellow.

Reality dawned one morning in a hotel room, Travis didn’t know where he was or who the blond was draped across his midsection. It was time to get hold of himself and he proceeded to do just that. He checked into a spa and dried himself out, honed his thirty-two year old body to perfection and then he went to see his parents.

The huge TV he’d bought them filled a whole wall in their bungalow and the house was full of new appliances some his mother had no idea what to do with…still they arrived on a regular basis.

"I been thinking of buying a cattle ranch Dad. I found one near a place called The Glen. I wondered if you and mum would like to live there."

"A ranch, you say?" Bill McGee stroked his chin, "I don’t know much about cattle son."

"No worries Dad, I’ll have somebody to take care of all that. Just think of it…wide open spaces, peaceful surroundings, room to spread out and walk if you want to. Mom won’t have to do a thing but what she wants to. Whadya say?"

Bill McGee said yes and his mother was overjoyed to get out of the small bungalow. Travis arranged for everything, the move the furnishing of the house which he left to his mother’s taste and new vehicles for them to drive.

It was his last day in Sydney, having tied up loose ends, he’d planned on flying the short hop to Coffs Harbour. He stopped by the local where he’d bought his half of the ticket to buy a last round for the patrons and the bartender.

"Gonna miss you, Travis. You’ve become quite the celebrity around here," said the bartender.

"Travis…well, well. I wondered what happened to you," Joe Sweeny sidled up to Travis’s side.

"Joe, long time no see." Travis tipped his beer bottle and drank from it.

"I wondered what you did with all your half of the money, Travis?" Joe asked.

"I’ve invested most of it…and bought a cattle ranch…in fact, that’s where I’m headed now."

"Good onya, Travis…afraid I wasn’t as smart…gambled a bit. But I still got a tidy sum, enough to see me through. Say, you bought a ranch? I always wanted to live on a ranch."

"Yeah, hell, go buy yourself one, Joe."

"Well…how about I come out with you for awhile...just to see if it suits, you know?"

"I don’t know about that...my family’s there," Travis said.

"Well…the way I look at it, if it weren’t for me you’d not have a cattle ranch…would you Travis?"

"All right, but I’m leaving here within an hour."

"I’ll be back with my bag packed," Joe smiled broadly and waved as he left the bar.

Travis finished his beer and ordered another wishing he hadn’t run into Joe Sweeny.