Mr. Lucky

Is it luck or chance that determines one's fate?

Some people go through life without the slightest bit of luck. Stuck in dead end jobs, or marry the wrong one. It has been said that all too often a certain amount of luck happens to, you guessed it, certain people. But what is being lucky all about? Can people change their luck or can they create circumstances where one is more prone to success than the other just by chance? Or is it just plain dumb luck that happens to some not only  periodically but practically every day?  Webster defines luck or chance, as it is sometimes associated with luck, as an event which occurs beyond one's control, without regard to one's will, intention, or desired result. It can be said your are a lucky person if you walk into a Las Vegas casino where at the poker table your first hand is a Royal Flush with a pot that is beyond imagination. Then, again one might be considered lucky if you got to kiss the girl of your dreams and live happily ever after. It is also the chance happening of fortunate or adverse events; fortune: They met one day out of pure luck.  Good fortune or prosperity; success: We wish you luck all are connotations associated with being lucky.

 

When Mr. Lucky first was telecasted back in 1959 the fictional character Mr. Lucky was the owner of a floating casino where any number of patrons came to try their luck, literally, in hoping to score one big win. But in the life of Henry Fontaine all his life it had always been other people that got all the luck. Fast cars, beautiful women, high paying jobs, and big houses, all the things Henry could only dream of having. But, as luck would have it on the morning of October 18th Henry's life was about to change. This was the day that Henry just became one of the luckiest individuals who in his wildest dreams never figured his live would turn out so far removed from his childhood memories of what he wanted to do.

 

Just as Henry stepped out of his apartment on the lower east side he noticed something on the ground that caught his attention. Glancing down, sure enough, was a crumbled up $100 bill. Luck or just plain fortunate that at that precise moment in time where anyone else could have found that Franklin Henry actually was at the right place and at the right time. From that moment on Henry knew somehow that the mundane life he was living up until now was going to change. Sure enough, while driving to work at a job he really didn't care for, the pay was lousy, his boss was a tyrant and his coworkers completely loathed him but, it was a job after all, the car in front suddenly swerved to the right. Quickly, Henry jammed on the brakes just in the nick of time to avoid running over Peter, a 4 year old chasing after a ball. Again, was it luck, chance or quick action that prevented a child from harm? Without thinking Henry got out of the car and scooped up Peter in his arms and rushed him over to the curb. As Peter was crying Henry whispered in his ear "You are one lucky child." 

 

As Henry was still holding Peter, Peter's mother came rushing over "Thank you, Thank you for saving my child" she kept on saying. " What can I do for you for saving my Peter" Henry's reply "Just knowing that Peter is going to grow up is thanks enough" With that Henry got back in his car and drove off. Little did Henry know that the whole incident was filmed with the events that would be shown on local news stations later that day. Just as Henry pulled into the parking lot a police cruiser pulled right beside Henry's car. Startled to say the least Henry parked his car just when a policewomen came over and said  "Here, you dropped this at that intersection when you saved that boy." Just as she said that the officer handed Henry his wallet that he accidentally dropped at the scene. Reaching to take his wallet "Thank you officer" With that Henry walked away and into work a bit late. Again luck or circumstance where an officer noticed Henry's wallet on the ground? Intriguing to say the least.

 

As Henry was approaching his cubicle, coworkers staring, the Boss appeared out of nowhere "Mr. Fontaine your late" Henry with his eyes glued to the floor just when he was about to explain his excuse when he heard "Well we here at ABC Technology will just have to promote you to assistant VP of Operations" Fearing, Henry didn't quite hear correctly looked up "Ha!" "That's right Mr. Fontaine. You see for the past 6 months you have shown great ability to accomplish what most people in this office can't even come close too. And by the way what a quick thinking act you pulled off earlier this morning. You didn't think we here heard about you saving that boy" With that every employee stood up and gave Henry a rousing round of applause. With the Bosses arm around Henry's shoulder "Let me take you to your new office on the sixth floor."

 

Is it fate, circumstance or just luck that a pattern of events in progression have manifested into a realm of reality far removed from an existing one, as in the case of Henry Fontaine? Can it be that one chance encounter with good or bad fortune leads to other events like dominos all interacting with the first incident? Intriguing as it is, in almost every instance when an act of whether it is finding lost money unexpectedly or meeting a long lost friend or lost love again, unexpectedly so often leads to other occurrences that spin off of the first chance encounter. In Henry's case, he actually worked hard at his job so why shouldn't he have been promoted? Did it take incidents like finding that $100 to create more incidents of fate when he saved Peter and then recoup his wallet and finally being promoted? Many really think that an individual can create incidents of good fortune and there again when one unexpectedly finds something of value whether it is money or a diamond ring it is what we do or the actions taken following that create more good fortune or luck. There again, the actions taken could also create events that have negative consequences as well. 

 

For Henry Fontaine in the wake of his promotion good fortune has finally come his way. He did create through his actions the luck that he had been wanting to have but was unable to achieve until that first chance encounter with finding that first $100. After that a chain of events all pointed to other events where luck dictated the outcome. The question one would ask, is it one act or discovery create a chain of events or occurrences that would pre-determine a set of progressive events, discoveries, or occurrences which in each instance create more value?

 

Some would point out that luck is synonymous with a blessing like in the case of young Peter who escaped an awful tragedy. In so many instances we do as individuals have the ability within us to create our own blessings and good or bad fortune. One occurrence of good or bad fortune can multiply into a chain of events that would alter destinies. For Henry Fontaine it took one lucky find and a lot of hard work at his job that changed forever his personal destiny. It too could happen to you.