SHANNON WAS A GARAGE DOOR REPAIRMAN LIVING IN PEORIA, ILLINOIS. HIS HOBBY WAS RACING THE LONG DISTANCE HOMING PIGEONS. HE DROVE OVER TO THE LOCAL LIQUOR STORE ON A SATURDAY NIGHT. IT BEGAN RAINING HARD AS HE ENTERED THE STORE. HE PURCHASED A SIX PACK OF BEER AND DROVE HOME THROUGH THE WIND AND HEAVY RAIN.
THE NEXT MORNING HE WALKED OUT TO HIS PIGEON LOFT WHICH WAS ATTACHED TO THE GARAGE. WHILE IN THE GARAGE HE NOTICED A PIECE OF PAPER SMASHED AGAINST HIS CARS RADIATOR. HE SLOWLY PEALED IT OFF AND IMMEDIATELY NOTICED IT WAS A LOTTERY TICKET. SHANNON TOSSED IT IN THE GARBAGE. LATER WHILE READING THE PAPER HE DETERMINED THAT HE SHOULD GO GET THAT LOTTERY TICKET AND CHECK IT FOR WINNING NUMBERS. THE SMALL PIECE WAS STILL VERY WET. SHANNON SET IT ON THE KITCHEN COUNTER AND TOOK HIS COFFEE AND NEWSPAPER INTO THE LIVING ROOM TO CONTINUE TO READ. WHILE READING THE PEORIA JOURNAL STAR HE NOTICED THE WINNING LOTTERY NUMBERS.
SHANNON STOOD AND WALKED INTO THE KITCHEN. HE LIFTED THE SMALL LOTTERY TICKET WHICH WAS STILL DAMP. HE CARRIED THE COFFEE, NEWSPAPER AND LOTTERY TICKET OUT TO THE REAR DOOR PATIO
HE READ THE NUMBERS IN THE PAPER THEN LOOKED AT THE LOTTERY TICKET. IT WAS FOR THE SATURDAY NIGHT LOTTERY DRAWING WITH AN ESTIMATED DRAWING OF $164,000,000.
HE LOOKED AT THE PAPER AND TRIED TO REMEMBER ALL SIX NUMBERS. HE THEN LOOKED AT THE DAMP TICKET. HE QUICKLY REPEATED EACH MOVE. HE THEN SCREAMED FOR ALL NEIGHBORS TO HEAR, "I'M BLIND!"
HE LOOKED SLOWLY AT ALL NUMBERS THEN AT THE PAPER'S LIST OF WINNING NUMBERS. THEY ALL MATCHED!
SHANNON WAS SUDDENLY $164 MILLION RICHER. TEARS WERE ROLLING OFF BOTH EYES IN BUCKETS!
