Nothing’s Free

My dad was a dreamer, too.

He’d always fill out those Publishers Clearing House mailers, expecting to win what was promised in the letters.

Each time they came, he’d sit down and diligently complete the forms, attaching this stamp to that form, making sure they were within the designated lines, because if they weren’t perfectly aligned, his entry would be disqualified.

I remember one of the last times we were together, before he went into the hospital.  He was working on a PCH mailer.  He’d ask my opinion on what color car should he request and which sticker he should attach.  We’d sit down together and discuss the various options and come up with something he felt good about.

Dad died never winning the PCH, but it never stopped him from trying or believing that one day he would.

Funny thing is… soon after he died, I started getting the PCH mailers at my house.  They hadn’t come to me before, but suddenly, they started showing up in my mailbox.

I couldn’t help myself.  I had to continue Dad’s dream of one day winning that PCH check.  I couldn’t let him down. 

So, each time the PCH mailer comes to me, promising the $10 million check, I laugh at myself, because I know that I’ll be spending the night, going through the package, sorting out the stamps, searching for this official sticker to stick on that official form… just like my dad did…

But they’ve added a twist to this exercise.  They’ve added an online entry form that you must enter a special code to receive a prize of your choice. 

The problem is that you have to go through pages and pages of advertizing and “tricks” before you can complete your official entry form to claim your prize.  You have to maneuver through pages and pages of offers that you’re not interested in and find the correct button to proceed  without signing up for anything along the way…

It’s a maze of marketing propaganda to get through.  I’m not sure that I did it successfully.  I’ll guess I’ll find out when my new laptop does or does not arrive.

In the meantime, I’m dealing with new scams and advertizing emails assaulting my email box every 20 minutes now.  I’m spending my days unsubscribing to things that I never subscribed to in the first place…well, I didn’t realize I had subscribed to in the first place.

I’m sure my email address has been sold to dozens of marketing companies by now, all because I entered the PCH entry code from the mailer.

I have to shrug it off.  Live and learn. 

Nothing’s free in this world… but it’s always nice to dream.

Yep.  I inherited my dad’s good nature and optimistic view on life.  I’m a dreamer like he was…

And I don’t think that’s a bad thing.


Thanks, Dad....



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