A spaghetti " special "

Several days a week I usually have the " breakfast special " at

    a New York System restaurant in downtown Providence, right near the

    public library . Ted, the manager, quickly serves me two eggs over -

    medium with home fries, rye toast and coffee - always just two dollars.

       But yesterday I arrived a little to late for my usual breakfast. A

    young waitress quickly suggested to me the lunch special- "spaghetti

    and meatball with power ball ( a lottery ) . I was thinking of American

    chop suey -usually about $4.00. But I quickly decided for the " power

    ball special ", though I never -on principle - gamble.

        For a modest restaurant  Ted's  meat sauce was quite good -" better

    than the Mayor 's Own ", I complimented him . ( Mayor Cianci has a little

    business on the side ) . I paid no attention to the price until I was

    at the cash register. I expected the " special " would cost about as

    much as American chop suey. Surprise !  "  Six dollars ", Ted tells

    me. Just a moment of " shock " as  I considered the power ball ticket.

        I only had about $7.00 in my bill fold ! I did not study the numbers

    on the power ball ticket.

        This morning I ripped it up, again without looking at it . It was

    the principle of the thing. But I am not mad at Ted .