In my last post I mentioned the poverty tax known as the California Lottery, that gambling scheme designed to scam some revenue out of those least able to afford it. (I wonder when they will start taxing the rich with their stock gambling?)Â But the poor keep paying it, cuz it’s about the only realistic option one has to getting out of said poverty. Let me show you a quick look at one of the popular gamblerias here in LH, which is also my favorite place to get my rust free drinking water.
Normally, during the weekdays, the front of the shop is packed with men spending some time and some cash on scratchers, searching for printed treasure. I guess those actually have better odds of winning. Not much money, but still something to win. The scratch yard also makes for an informal mini plaza where people just hang out and talk.
But all the action was happening inside, with a long line of customers hoping to hit the big one. See those papers floating in the air like Thai Prayer Flags? They have winning tickets taped to them, along with the vast quantities of cash the recipient received, mostly in the $100 to $1000 spectrum, with a few legit hefty sums as well. No doubt the sight of so many previous lucky ticket holders is an incentive to keep spending your meager wages on this scheme. Maybe you’ll be the next one to fly your own prayer-answered flag.
The dead end that is the pursuit of money, circa 2010.
For the record, my numbers were also losers.
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Playing the lotto is for suckers! Which reminds me I must make my way to the 7 Eleven in Montebello…
My momma buys her water there too! Oh and Boda is right next door.. Very yummy food..
Surprised you didn’t mention they have valet parking…Pues no 😉
I go there too! I feel left out and always buy a lottery ticket. I’m still trying to find the place (I forgot where I saw it) in LH that has a sign that says WATERIA.
I always notice at night when I get water out of the vending machine that the “Cloud 9 Collective” next door with blacked out windows is always packed with people running in and out all night. It’s surprising how many people get sick on Friday and Saturday night and need their medicinal marijuana.
You also forgot to mention the Pot Clinic next door.
Jeannette: How about all the kiddos coming in and out of there. Fishy.
J,
There’s a Wateria up in Highland Park by the 99cent store, I think its a chain. They even wash your 5 gallon bottles, all fancy like.
As for the Cloud 9, I thought they closed down? They put up a sign on their door that they were closing for business due to the recent closure of pot supplyerias.
You refer to it as a poverty tax, but my dad always told me it was a fine for being stupid.
We were poor and fortunately not stupid, so we never had to pay it. If it were a poverty tax, we would’ve been forced to pay it. It’s a choice…he chose to spend the money on basic necessities and told me to goto school and study a high paying profession if I wanted to be rich when I grew up. I’m glad I listened to him & have yet to buy one stinky CA lottery ticket.