Damn the Luck

Dan Palmer has always been lucky. Just out of high school he got hired on at the local mill, where both his father and uncle worked. We didn't have to attend college or trade school like is other friends, a well paying job with benefits at 18 years old.

Dan worked and saved money; buying some land, with a house and always able to affored a new truck, a boat, an ATV and yearly vacations. Dan was always lucky, except for when it came to women.

Dan had only had a few on and off girlfriends, a few drunken one-night stands and a yearly visit to a brothel in Nevada, with money he won gambling in Vegas. Lucky Dan.

Now Dan is 33, the economy and markets are vary volatile. There had been rumors going around, about the mill being in financial trouble and possibly shutting down.

Just last year Dan had been promoted to a supervisory job, less work and more money. Lucky Dan.

Then the email arrived, asking all employees to attend a meeting in one hour, could this be it the closing of the mill. Dan was a little worried, but had always been saving money, and didn't have a wife or kids to support, just himself.

The president and CEO of the mill made the announcement to all employees, the mill will be closing. All supervisors were required to attend an other meeting afterwards.

It the next meeting Dan found out he would be receiving a severance package; 6 months salary, health benefits and free college education. Lucky Dan.

Dan never went to college after high school; he missed the parties and the women and all the rest. But now Dan was 33, his brown hair had spots of grey and was beginning to recede on his forehead. He also had gained some weight since he was 18, and had a beer belly.

As the fall semester arrived and was ready to begin Dan was nervous and excited, to start college. Dan arrived on campus and had his was to large lecture hall, for his first class; economic 101

Dan was amazed at all the young women, wearing sport shorts, skirts and tight tops. Dan walked across campus on the sunny day, looking through his sunglasses and trying not to get caught staring at their bodies.

Dan arrived in class. There was 6 tables with 4 chairs at each table. He sat down at the table. There were 2 girls sitting there also, both looking down at their phones and texting, not even noticing Dan had sat down. Other students came in also, filling up the seats, right before class started.

The professor then arrived and class began, during the last 5 minutes of class, she discussed the semester long project worth 50% of the grade. It was a group project in pairs of 2, each group would need one male and one female. Lucky Dan.

The 2 girls looked up at Dan and another young freshman guy who had sat down at the table also.