Fake Winning Lottery Ticket Causes Ecstasy -- Then Fury. What Now?

epdaws · #1 12-23-2006, 02:05 AM

This was hard for me to even believe:

Our family does a gift exchange of the variety you've probably heard called numerous things: Yankee Trader, Chinese Gift Exchange, Thieves Christmas, etc. One person opens a gift, the next can steal or go under the tree, etc.

Well, my brother ended up with a couple of lottery tickets. He and his wife have thousands in school debt and are struggling month to month. She scratched off the ticket after the exchange and found it to be a 10k winner.

It was total joy in the household. 30 family members, celebrating with my bro and his wife. They were talking about paying off some loans and what a break this was for them. They even gave the ticket a quick glance to see that it was legit. It seemed so.

15 minutes later, my cousin (the black sheep of the family, really) announces, "Now, hold on, make sure you read the super tiny print on the back of the tickets!" In mega-small print practically requiring a magnifying glass, the print said that it was a gag gift.

My sister-in-law immediately started crying. My brother looked like he was ready to jack my cousin.

Question: how long can the gag go on before it's not funny? What would you do?

orange · #2 12-23-2006, 02:08 AM

Thats pretty funny. Very mean, but funny. If I was the recipient of this ticket, I would probably be bitter and angry. Not sure what I would do either.

jaydub · #3 12-23-2006, 02:09 AM

ep,

A timely story for the holidays; families bring out the worst.

The gag was at no time appropriate and your cousin is the black sheep for a reason.

J

otis_nixon · #4 12-23-2006, 02:09 AM

This is funny only bc your cousin actually thought he was being funny. The idea of him thinking it's this crazy awesome practical joke he's been saving up is making me laugh out loud.

Dementia · #5 12-23-2006, 02:10 AM

Well,

The joke served its purpose, getting PO about it seems silly, but he maybe should have excercised better judgment in revealing the gag a little bit sooner.

Golden_Rhino · #6 12-23-2006, 02:10 AM

I always thought if anyone gave me one of those that I would punch them in the face. If your brother is ok financially, then it'd be ok. the fact that your bro is going through a tough time makes it a douche move.

ps...

is this your cousin??

epdaws · #7 12-23-2006, 02:10 AM

[ QUOTE ]
This is funny only bc your cousin actually thought he was being funny. The idea of him thinking it's this crazy awesome practical joke he's been saving up is making me laugh out loud.

[/ QUOTE ]

Proper recourse? I've never seen my brother so steamed. I thought he might kill him.

epdaws · #8 12-23-2006, 02:11 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Well,

The joke served its purpose, getting PO about it seems silly, but he maybe should have excercised better judgment in revealing the gag a little bit sooner.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's kind of what I'm interested in -- how long can this go on before the giver should morally reveal the gag?

jaydub · #9 12-23-2006, 02:12 AM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
This is funny only bc your cousin actually thought he was being funny. The idea of him thinking it's this crazy awesome practical joke he's been saving up is making me laugh out loud.

[/ QUOTE ]

Proper recourse? I've never seen my brother so steamed. I thought he might kill him.

[/ QUOTE ]

Vicious beating hopefully broken up by the family.

J

Duke · #10 12-23-2006, 02:12 AM

This makes me think more about that other lottery ticket thread.