Fortune and the extravagant

Fortune and the extravagant - Anthony F. D’Silva - 11 February 2011

It is that time of the year when the smell of impending fortune hangs thick in the air. Stories of paupers getting rich overnight by winning luxury cars, kilos of gold and huge amounts of cash are flying all around. The trouble is, the winners always happen to be somebody else, not us.

Having lived in Dubai for nearly two decades, I have compartmentalized people into three classes: those who have won big in promotions, those 
hoping to win big some time and, finally, those who have lost faith in promotions and raffles, after several failed attempts.

In my house, come January/February, there is a flurry of activity that is very close to the type we see on the eve of our annual vacation. Promotion pamphlets from shopping malls and sundry stores are strewn all over the place. The potential shopping list swells to the size of a novelette. As a result, the house is scattered with items we bought in haste with the sole purpose of getting a large number of raffle coupons.

The assorted collection includes suitcases, DVD players, laptops, electric razors, chandeliers and pieces of furniture that only serve to clog up 
the house.