This story in the Boston Globe tells of Kevin Weir from Medfield, MA, who, on a whim, gave a lottery ticket to Ray and Cheryl Heikkinen, friends who live in Maine. Turns out the ticket was a winner: $250,000!
Cheryl Heikkinen, 46, who runs a town recreation program, said the couple has used the money to pay off debts and make improvements to their house, among other things -- and they've given some back to Weir.
"He seems genuinely happy. ... Everybody just seems really happy for us," said Heikkinen, who has two grown children and a 16-year-old at home.
"I'm glad it turned out the way it did," said Weir. "Up in that section of the country they work hard for everything they’ve got. What am I going to do with it? It's just me and my dog."
The article doesn't say how much was the "some"of the winnings the Heikkinen's gave back to Weir but it occurs to me that if they had split it 50/50 (a fair decision) they or the reporter would have noted that fact.
What if you given away the ticket? How would you feel? What would you expect of your friends?
What if you had received the ticket? How would you feel? What obligation would you feel to the person who gave you the big winner?
