They say nothing is free in this world, but I disagree. Life is sprinkled with Door Prizes.

I blame my love of winning things squarely on my fourth grade English teacher, Mrs. Hammond. To motivate a bunch of 10-year-olds to write, this wonderful woman required us to compose a story every week using our spelling words. Nothing special about that assignment except Mrs. Hammond threw in a caveat. Every Friday, she picked out the best three stories and awarded prizes. 

I’m certain the reason I’m a writer today is because I would do anything to win a pencil sharpener. I won so many times; I became your go-to gal when you needed a sharp point on your number 2 lead. Yes, children, we actually used to write in cursive with a pencil that had to be sharpened. 

My next favorite memory of getting something for nothing was steak knives at the gas station. Imagine that. They gave you a whole set of objects you could injure yourself with as a reward. Wouldn’t the lawyers of today have fun with that? 

I’m not sure when the first time someone stuck a string of “Keep This Ticket” coupons in my hand but it was as exciting to me as flirting with a handsome man. I clutched my tickets tightly just waiting for those magic last three numbers to be called. 

By the way, if you’re in charge of calling the numbers in a Door Prize contest, please just give us the last three numbers. We figure out pretty quick that all the tickets start in 660. Just a Door Prize junky tip. 

Others may gamble, but I scour the hills for any event that has Door Prizes. Why? Because I usually walk away a winner. Granted, a XXXL camo shirt that says “I Came Here to Hunt” isn’t the greatest prize on earth, but it makes a grand night shirt. 

Luckily for me, country life seems to produce more opportunities to win Door Prizes than in the Big City. There’s always a fundraiser for something and what better way to generate cash that fabulous Door Prizes? 

By the time you read this, I will have attended what I think is the best Door Prize event of the year on this part of the planet. Our local electric co-op has a yearly meeting to discuss electrifying issues, honor long-term glowing employees and remind us to expect higher energy costs in the coming year. How else can they pay for all those fabulous Door Prizes? 

These people do it right. They know none of us would show up for such a low volt event, so they hand out Door Prizes. Not a couple, but hundreds. Not steak knives. No. Fantastic prizes. Crock pots, golf balls, weekend getaways and HDTV’s. This year’s Grand Prize is a riding lawnmower. 

Now this is where the lucky part comes in for me. These guys intersperse the Door Prizes throughout the 3 hour marathon meeting. I always know I’m going to win something, but the real winning comes in having your number announced early on so you can disappear before the first hour is over. 

Last year, within thirty minutes, I won a shiny new 6 quart crock pot. I was very excited as I hurried home to find a storage place for it next to my two other 6 quart crock pots. You just never know when you’ll need to slow cook for a crowd, now do you?

Who knows, I may just keep my tickets in hopes of winning two Door Prizes next year.

Lucky me!

Spreading laughter througout the world…one chuckle at a time.

Mikie Baker
www.mikiebaker.com