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A Dollar and a Dream
Features three bittersweet stories about people whose lives are forever changed after winning the lottery, including Carl Weber and La Jill Hunt's "Easy Street," in which everything changes for a neighborhood when they send a wannabe player to purchase lottery tickets. Reprint.
212 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 2003
21 people are currently reading
515 people want to read
About the author
Carl Weber
92 books2,107 followersCarl Weber is a New York Times and #1 Essence® bestselling novelist.
In addition to his writing, Weber is the founder and publisher of Urban Books and in 2005, he was named Blackboard's Publisher of the Year. He is the owner of the Urban Knowledge chain of book stores and a past recipient of Blackboard's Bookseller of the Year award.
Weber graduated from Virginia State University and holds an MBA in marketing from the University of Virginia.
In addition to his writing, Weber is the founder and publisher of Urban Books and in 2005, he was named Blackboard's Publisher of the Year. He is the owner of the Urban Knowledge chain of book stores and a past recipient of Blackboard's Bookseller of the Year award.
Weber graduated from Virginia State University and holds an MBA in marketing from the University of Virginia.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 9, 2021
Carl Weber can do no wrong sorry he is one of my fav authors ...so does that make me bias ....well just a little...
3 short stories in one.. all stories revolve around lottery ticket and winnings .
the prank.....
disney world and strung out sister
the murders and the ending...
I enjoyed each story . the authors brought me into the story in which i loved. I felt as if i was watching a movie while reading each one and to me that shows good writing. I was able to escape into the characters world and did not wish to stop reading.
3 short stories in one.. all stories revolve around lottery ticket and winnings .
the prank.....
disney world and strung out sister
the murders and the ending...
I enjoyed each story . the authors brought me into the story in which i loved. I felt as if i was watching a movie while reading each one and to me that shows good writing. I was able to escape into the characters world and did not wish to stop reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2025
A Dollar And A Dream (Updated)
Easy Street
Katrice comes home with groceries to a junky apartment. There’s an angry message from someone that says she and Jordan were supposed to take care of something and that’s its not there responsibility. Its pertaining to a letter from the bank. She deltes the message from her brother-not playing to return it-. She doesn’t have the money. Mr. Taylor from First American Mortage calls. She’s 90 days late on payment. She cuts this message off too. Since clothes are all over the place, she goes to the laundromat. There she runs into Freddie-whose looking for Paul-. He needs two dollars (for a good cause).
On the way back upstairs, she looks at how bad the walls and floors look and knows it’ll take a lot of money to fix things up. Money, she doesn’t have. When she gets back to her place, she soaks and thinks about the long day she had at work (driving a bus). Basically, it sucks, but the pay is good. Jordan comes home and tries to get some, but Katrice bitches at him about how nasty he left the place. Plus he’s drunk and she knows he’s been gambling. She finds out he lost 400.00.
Jordan has a good job at Fed Ex but he has a severe gambling addiction. Katrice is tears. This place was her daddy’s dream. He assures her they won’t lose it. Kerri (who lives above them) who was once getting it is now arguing with someone. The door slams and they see a tall man running to his car. Trice makes him give her his check card and book. Paul is fantasizing about Kerri and what her old man has that he doesn’t, when Freddie comes up to the car and asks for two dollars to buy a lottery ticket. The jackpot is for 50 million. Paul tells him to f*** off.
Kerri is behind 3 months on her rent and she’s screwing around with this old man named Charlie. So she tuns him out and asks for a thousand dollars. He says he’ll go to the Quick Mart to get it. While, he’s gone he’s left his cell and his wife calls. When he gets back and has the money and a couple of lottery tickets. Kerri goes off on him and kicks him out, but forgets to get the money. All she has is the tickets.
Rodney is another tenant. He’s tearing up the place looking for a lost fifteen thousand dollars he owes to “Red” who sells for. Katrice comes by to collect the rent early but she finds out Jordan must have taken it and used it to gamble. Rodney’s also won money off him. Red and his partna Bubba come and demand their money. Rodney tells him he lost it. Red takes the eight hundred he got off Jordan and gives him until Monday to have it or it’ll be his last day.
Kerri doesn’t have her rent either so Kerri and Katrice drink for a little and talk about men Katrice tells her maybe she should get with Paul. On the way out, it looks like Kerri takes her up on her offer. Kevin suggest that Katrice sell the building. Katrice invites Paul to a game at her place and tells him to bring Don and Moet-which makes him think he has a chance-. On the way out, he sees Freddie going throw the trash looking for Rodney’s money. Paul just gives him the two dollars. But then he almost comes to blows with Rodney. Kerri runs into Paul who tries to tell her he’ll be short on funds and reschedule their date. Kerri tells him she’s not the one to disappoint. Kerri notices her car is gone. Freddie tells her it’s been towed for owing a lot of tickets.
Katrice asks her how much she owes and she says 700.00. They go in have tea and Jordan turns on the lottery. Neither Jordan, Katrice, or Kerri win. Kerri runs into Rodney who didn’t win either but warns her that its about to get crazy if any of them has his envelope. Paul shows up at the fight with some cheap champagne (the real stuff cost 80 sum dollars a bottle) and after it’s over Katrice calls off their date and getting with him period. She tells him he can’t live up to her standards. He tells Jordan tho one say watch she’ll be throwing it at him. Jordan mentions that someone around their way won the lottery and when Paul checks his five tickets … turns out it’s HIM!
Kerri comes over (in a robe) and gets Paul to screw her. Going on the second time, she says she has something to ask him. Then after it’s over she asks him to “help her out”. He promptly kicks her out and calls her a gold digger. When Rodney gets back to his apartment, Big Bubba is there to let him know how serious Red is about his money. He points out the packed bags. Then he gives the addresses to Rodney’s mom and his baby momma and son. After he leaves, Rodney tries to call his mom and “suggest” she head south but he just ends up telling her he loves her.
Katrice goes to the pay on some over due bills but finds out she doesn’t have the money in the bank to cover it because Jordan’s taken it out. She also finds out he’s been fired. So, she goes home, kicks out all his friends, then sends him packing. Paul comes to check on her and agrees easily to give her the money she needs to save the building for a few months of free rent. When coming out of Katrice’s, Paul runs into Rodney who asks him for money. Since, he says no he says he’s taking all of it and holds him at gunpoint. The ticket isn’t on Paul tho and he tells him its in his apartment. Jordan comes out and gets in on it and then Katrice.
Jordan retrieves the ticket from his apartment.Katrice finds Paul tied up to a chair when she goes into the basement to do laundry. He tells them they have to hurry up and get out of there. Then he tells her what the others did. Katrice asks if he’s sure Jordan was with them and he says yes. She says she can’t believe they took the ticket. Paul says yes but they’re in for a surprise. We find out what they want to do with the money. Katrice wants to take a vacation and buy a penthouse. Jordan wants to buy a race horse. He says he’ll pay off the building for Katrice. Maybe give her half (the other suggest). Rodney will pay Big Red back and then buy his mom a new house. He’ll go to the Bahamas or Jamaica, buy a place, and start an export business (of weed). A man comes out and inspects the ticket but he says its not the winning ticket. It’s been purchased on the Friday after the lottery was announced. Rodney says he’s going to kill Paul.
When they get back, Paul and Katrice are ready and police surround and arrest them. Paul says he was hoping to show Katrice what he was about. Money doesn’t mean that much to him. He found fifteen thousand dollars in the laundry room in a bag. He knows it was Paul’s so he gave it to Katrice. A man then comes by in a limo. It’s Freddie all cleaned up. He won the fifty million and says he told Paul that if he loaned him two dollars he’d split it with him.
Ghetto Fabulous
A lady (we don’t know her name yet) and her man get through making love. After she drops off her kids at private school, we find out her plans for the day are going to the spa with her sister and having the grand opening of her salon (Champagne and Shampoo). It’s a bar-beauty salon combo deal. While she’s getting a massage, she thinks about 6 months ago when her life was a mess and how she struggled with relationships, friendships, and finances. But she hit the lottery and now a black girl from the hood is a multimillionaire. Life is sweet!
Six months ago, Isis Bray is waiting on her boyfriend Tyrone to come get her 3 kids because their getting on her nerves. She dismisses her sister Shantay’s request (whose only concern is partying and have had all her kids taken by social services) for money. Then she gives us some background. She has a daughter named Queen. Her father’s name is Understanding. When she turns 16 (He’s 20) she starts sneaking around (and cutting school) to see him. Her sister warns her he’s just trying to hit, but she knows she’s gonna lose her virginity to him. And she does and after finds out he isn’t faithful. So, she thinks a baby will do it. It doesn’t last. He doesn’t even show up for Queen’s birth. Shortly after he got busted and threw in jail.
Her son (Trey aka TJ) is named after his father Trey. She meets Trey’s father at day care. At first, he doesn’t speak because his girlfriend is with him. Then they start to talk (he says they broke up) and she ends up pregnant again and they start living together. He treats her good but he’s always broke. She finds out he takes cocaine. Because of him she tries it. Things get out of control. The kids start imitating them. Shantay makes her see sense and Isis starts going to meetings. Trey gets worse. She kicks him out.
Tyrone (the current) she meets at the grocery store. She has sex the first night and ends up pregnant (even tho she’s on the pill. He’s decent about it. He takes care of all the kids. He even talks sometimes about them being together. There are some half-ass friends mentioned (Dana and Lisa). Dana has to straightened out about respecting her choice not to drink. Lisa does coke in her house. Its when she and Dana are at a club that she meets LaVert (who plays for the Knicks). But then Understanding and Rickey show up and they leave. Not before confronted by Understanding who says he’ll be buy tomorrow to see his daughter.
The next morning, Shantay tells her she’s dreamed up some numbers and is writing them down before she forgets them. After discussing what they’d do if they won (even tho Isis says its only for old white people) Shantay gets her to write down some numbers (her kids ages). There’s some drama with Understanding. He wants to come see Queen. He shows up at her house. Isis says she needs to prepare her first. The kids want to know who he is. Isis doesn’t answer. But Queen already knows. The following day, Isis plays the numbers. She also runs into LaVert-who says call him-. Queen can tell he likes her. Malik wants to know what about his father. Queen waits around for her daddy to come by but he doesn’t show. Queen wants to know what she did and why her daddy doesn’t love her.
Isis finds him with a skank at his sisters -about to get some- and goes off on him. Tyrone comforts Isis and to her disbelief she feels love for him. Understanding shows up but Tyrone gets in his face and tells him don’t start something he can’t finish. He apologizes to Queen and tells her he wants a better effort. Then he tells Isis he wants to see her that weekend. She says they’ll have to work up to it. Feeling scared that she and Tyrone are getting to close, Isis goes out with Lavert, but after a while finds him materialistic. He says he wants to see her again (and call him). She knows she won’t. Later, she hears talk of someone winning in the area but not coming to collect their money. When she checks her lottery ticket at him, she realizes its her.
She goes back and forth whether to tell her sister. She did give her 3 of the numbers but she’s a drug addict. Then she gets the call her sister is in the hospital. She finds out Trey Sr found her and called the police. She decides to put Shantay in rehab and goes home, tells Tyrone about the money and proposes to him. She tells the kids they’re going to Disney World and that she’s getting married. Understanding finds out about the money and threatens Isis with blackmail of old videos and pictures she took. She made a video tape with Dana because of Understanding. Tyrone is pissed but agrees to a prenup. Isis also decides to send Trey Sr to rehab. People start coming out the woodworks. Isis locates her father. She gives Understanding money and he opens a studio. She also gives Dana money for a house.
One Night Six Dreams
As it opens, Devante has won the lottery and is making plans of what he’ll do with the money. But when he remembers that he has to split the money with the six other people that brought tickets. But why should he? He’s the one that stood in the line. He doesn’t answer when Lisa calls. This makes her, Marcus, Sheila, and Joe speculate that Devante has pocketed the money and used it for alcohol. Then they guess right. He’s keeping the money for himself. It talks about how he meet Joe (rehab) and Lia (at the school he works at. He’s a janitor). He also thinks about how Lisa told him she’s pregnant. They go to find him.
Nydia needs the money because her husband died and he’d given them a lot of debt. They had to sell their house. They owned a body shop that a mob family convinced him would be good for business. Thus, they turned it into the biggest chop in the city and it brought in thousands. A coworker caused a fire and five lbs of coke was lost in a Bently the mob family had stored there. Nydia’s husband was blamed for trying to “void” the contract and got severly beat. Later dying from a weak heart. So, now they want Nydia to pay them 10 million.
Devante decides to make an escape out the window. He steps out on the fire escape as Joe kicks down the door. Marcos is also desperate for the money because he has a crack addiction. He has 3 baby’s momma’s also and wants to “pay them off”. Joe sees Devante trying to get out the fire escape and he gets away. Some go after him, but Lisa and Joe stay behind. He can’t claim the money until the next day. Joe says he’ll probably go to a hide away spot he knows. He gets a clue when Devante says he’ll see him on the flipside. He doesn’t tho intend to tell the others.
Joe and Lisa go to track Devante down. Joe thinks that the first thing he’ll do is move his wife and sons out of their cramped two bedroom apartment. He’d quit his job and become a writer. He’ll also get his first born son help because his ex did crack he was born with a mental retardation. He knows his ex will come after him for a piece of the money. He brought Lisa because he knows the feelings between Devante and Lisa. The last conversation they had Joe said he’d take care of the kid but he didn’t know what he and Lisa could be. Marcus forms an alliance with Nydia to eliminate Sheila from the equation. They’ll worry about the others late. Marcus bash’s Sheila over the head with a snow globe and kills her.
Lisa, Joe, and Devante all agree to avoid the other three at all cost. They decide to go to Joes, but his wife says Marcus has called and she told them she didn’t know where they were. Jimmy kicks them out because he overhears them saying they have to get out of there before Marcus shows up. As they leave, Devante feels eyes on them. Marcus is watching them. He’s also killed Nydia because she starts to protest to his plans. He’s also killed a teenager for a car. He runs Nydia down with the car. He’s starting to get a high off the kills. He's now decided it wants all the money.
Marcus finds Joe and then Devante and holds them at gun point. He tells them what happened to the others and he leads them to their hotel room. In the room, Marcus’s pistol whips Devante and thanks him for making him a better man and for his financial growth. Then he demands the ticket. Devante tells him he’s not getting ish. He says your call and shoots Joe in the stomach. He says he’ll kill Joe and Lisa but not him because he wants him to live with what he’s done. Devante throws him to the ground and they start to fight. Each trying to get the gun. Devante gets the upperhand, beats Marcus to submission, and gets the gun. They can’t take Joe so they leave him there (to die). Devante promises to take care of his family.Marcus thinks that the best thing to do (with the thought of Marcus coming after them) is to catch a flight out of the country.
A car chase between Marcus and Devante ends with Marcus going off a draw-bridge. When Devante goes to the claim the money, he’s taken to jail by two undercover cops who find Sheila’s body in his apartment. Lisa has disappeared. We find out that Lisa watched the whole thing, saw the ticket fall, and then took it. At first she didn’t want it, but…. It’s 180 million dollars so you know.. She packs up and goes to the Bahamas and thinks oh well to Devante.
My Thoughts:
The one that had the most impact on me was ONE NIGHT SIX DREAMS because it showed to what extreme people will go to get their pockets swollen. When you read it you just shake your head and sadness. The same events happened to a boy in my HS over a popular sports jacket. Money really is the root of all evil. So many lives are taken, and crimes committed because of it.
*
I liked GHETTO FABULOUS because it had a more positive aspect to it. The story was like a tale of Rags to Riches. It showed what you SHOULD do if you hit it big.
I liked EASY STREET because it had a little vindictive flavor to it. That one felt very real and very true to life, knowing now in my years what I've experienced with people that are only after you because of what they think you can do for them. I could easily relate!
Rate: 7 This was a REALLY good book! It was amazingly better than I thought it would be from looking at the cover. Each story was easy to read and had shocking twists and plot lines.
Easy Street
Katrice comes home with groceries to a junky apartment. There’s an angry message from someone that says she and Jordan were supposed to take care of something and that’s its not there responsibility. Its pertaining to a letter from the bank. She deltes the message from her brother-not playing to return it-. She doesn’t have the money. Mr. Taylor from First American Mortage calls. She’s 90 days late on payment. She cuts this message off too. Since clothes are all over the place, she goes to the laundromat. There she runs into Freddie-whose looking for Paul-. He needs two dollars (for a good cause).
On the way back upstairs, she looks at how bad the walls and floors look and knows it’ll take a lot of money to fix things up. Money, she doesn’t have. When she gets back to her place, she soaks and thinks about the long day she had at work (driving a bus). Basically, it sucks, but the pay is good. Jordan comes home and tries to get some, but Katrice bitches at him about how nasty he left the place. Plus he’s drunk and she knows he’s been gambling. She finds out he lost 400.00.
Jordan has a good job at Fed Ex but he has a severe gambling addiction. Katrice is tears. This place was her daddy’s dream. He assures her they won’t lose it. Kerri (who lives above them) who was once getting it is now arguing with someone. The door slams and they see a tall man running to his car. Trice makes him give her his check card and book. Paul is fantasizing about Kerri and what her old man has that he doesn’t, when Freddie comes up to the car and asks for two dollars to buy a lottery ticket. The jackpot is for 50 million. Paul tells him to f*** off.
Kerri is behind 3 months on her rent and she’s screwing around with this old man named Charlie. So she tuns him out and asks for a thousand dollars. He says he’ll go to the Quick Mart to get it. While, he’s gone he’s left his cell and his wife calls. When he gets back and has the money and a couple of lottery tickets. Kerri goes off on him and kicks him out, but forgets to get the money. All she has is the tickets.
Rodney is another tenant. He’s tearing up the place looking for a lost fifteen thousand dollars he owes to “Red” who sells for. Katrice comes by to collect the rent early but she finds out Jordan must have taken it and used it to gamble. Rodney’s also won money off him. Red and his partna Bubba come and demand their money. Rodney tells him he lost it. Red takes the eight hundred he got off Jordan and gives him until Monday to have it or it’ll be his last day.
Kerri doesn’t have her rent either so Kerri and Katrice drink for a little and talk about men Katrice tells her maybe she should get with Paul. On the way out, it looks like Kerri takes her up on her offer. Kevin suggest that Katrice sell the building. Katrice invites Paul to a game at her place and tells him to bring Don and Moet-which makes him think he has a chance-. On the way out, he sees Freddie going throw the trash looking for Rodney’s money. Paul just gives him the two dollars. But then he almost comes to blows with Rodney. Kerri runs into Paul who tries to tell her he’ll be short on funds and reschedule their date. Kerri tells him she’s not the one to disappoint. Kerri notices her car is gone. Freddie tells her it’s been towed for owing a lot of tickets.
Katrice asks her how much she owes and she says 700.00. They go in have tea and Jordan turns on the lottery. Neither Jordan, Katrice, or Kerri win. Kerri runs into Rodney who didn’t win either but warns her that its about to get crazy if any of them has his envelope. Paul shows up at the fight with some cheap champagne (the real stuff cost 80 sum dollars a bottle) and after it’s over Katrice calls off their date and getting with him period. She tells him he can’t live up to her standards. He tells Jordan tho one say watch she’ll be throwing it at him. Jordan mentions that someone around their way won the lottery and when Paul checks his five tickets … turns out it’s HIM!
Kerri comes over (in a robe) and gets Paul to screw her. Going on the second time, she says she has something to ask him. Then after it’s over she asks him to “help her out”. He promptly kicks her out and calls her a gold digger. When Rodney gets back to his apartment, Big Bubba is there to let him know how serious Red is about his money. He points out the packed bags. Then he gives the addresses to Rodney’s mom and his baby momma and son. After he leaves, Rodney tries to call his mom and “suggest” she head south but he just ends up telling her he loves her.
Katrice goes to the pay on some over due bills but finds out she doesn’t have the money in the bank to cover it because Jordan’s taken it out. She also finds out he’s been fired. So, she goes home, kicks out all his friends, then sends him packing. Paul comes to check on her and agrees easily to give her the money she needs to save the building for a few months of free rent. When coming out of Katrice’s, Paul runs into Rodney who asks him for money. Since, he says no he says he’s taking all of it and holds him at gunpoint. The ticket isn’t on Paul tho and he tells him its in his apartment. Jordan comes out and gets in on it and then Katrice.
Jordan retrieves the ticket from his apartment.Katrice finds Paul tied up to a chair when she goes into the basement to do laundry. He tells them they have to hurry up and get out of there. Then he tells her what the others did. Katrice asks if he’s sure Jordan was with them and he says yes. She says she can’t believe they took the ticket. Paul says yes but they’re in for a surprise. We find out what they want to do with the money. Katrice wants to take a vacation and buy a penthouse. Jordan wants to buy a race horse. He says he’ll pay off the building for Katrice. Maybe give her half (the other suggest). Rodney will pay Big Red back and then buy his mom a new house. He’ll go to the Bahamas or Jamaica, buy a place, and start an export business (of weed). A man comes out and inspects the ticket but he says its not the winning ticket. It’s been purchased on the Friday after the lottery was announced. Rodney says he’s going to kill Paul.
When they get back, Paul and Katrice are ready and police surround and arrest them. Paul says he was hoping to show Katrice what he was about. Money doesn’t mean that much to him. He found fifteen thousand dollars in the laundry room in a bag. He knows it was Paul’s so he gave it to Katrice. A man then comes by in a limo. It’s Freddie all cleaned up. He won the fifty million and says he told Paul that if he loaned him two dollars he’d split it with him.
Ghetto Fabulous
A lady (we don’t know her name yet) and her man get through making love. After she drops off her kids at private school, we find out her plans for the day are going to the spa with her sister and having the grand opening of her salon (Champagne and Shampoo). It’s a bar-beauty salon combo deal. While she’s getting a massage, she thinks about 6 months ago when her life was a mess and how she struggled with relationships, friendships, and finances. But she hit the lottery and now a black girl from the hood is a multimillionaire. Life is sweet!
Six months ago, Isis Bray is waiting on her boyfriend Tyrone to come get her 3 kids because their getting on her nerves. She dismisses her sister Shantay’s request (whose only concern is partying and have had all her kids taken by social services) for money. Then she gives us some background. She has a daughter named Queen. Her father’s name is Understanding. When she turns 16 (He’s 20) she starts sneaking around (and cutting school) to see him. Her sister warns her he’s just trying to hit, but she knows she’s gonna lose her virginity to him. And she does and after finds out he isn’t faithful. So, she thinks a baby will do it. It doesn’t last. He doesn’t even show up for Queen’s birth. Shortly after he got busted and threw in jail.
Her son (Trey aka TJ) is named after his father Trey. She meets Trey’s father at day care. At first, he doesn’t speak because his girlfriend is with him. Then they start to talk (he says they broke up) and she ends up pregnant again and they start living together. He treats her good but he’s always broke. She finds out he takes cocaine. Because of him she tries it. Things get out of control. The kids start imitating them. Shantay makes her see sense and Isis starts going to meetings. Trey gets worse. She kicks him out.
Tyrone (the current) she meets at the grocery store. She has sex the first night and ends up pregnant (even tho she’s on the pill. He’s decent about it. He takes care of all the kids. He even talks sometimes about them being together. There are some half-ass friends mentioned (Dana and Lisa). Dana has to straightened out about respecting her choice not to drink. Lisa does coke in her house. Its when she and Dana are at a club that she meets LaVert (who plays for the Knicks). But then Understanding and Rickey show up and they leave. Not before confronted by Understanding who says he’ll be buy tomorrow to see his daughter.
The next morning, Shantay tells her she’s dreamed up some numbers and is writing them down before she forgets them. After discussing what they’d do if they won (even tho Isis says its only for old white people) Shantay gets her to write down some numbers (her kids ages). There’s some drama with Understanding. He wants to come see Queen. He shows up at her house. Isis says she needs to prepare her first. The kids want to know who he is. Isis doesn’t answer. But Queen already knows. The following day, Isis plays the numbers. She also runs into LaVert-who says call him-. Queen can tell he likes her. Malik wants to know what about his father. Queen waits around for her daddy to come by but he doesn’t show. Queen wants to know what she did and why her daddy doesn’t love her.
Isis finds him with a skank at his sisters -about to get some- and goes off on him. Tyrone comforts Isis and to her disbelief she feels love for him. Understanding shows up but Tyrone gets in his face and tells him don’t start something he can’t finish. He apologizes to Queen and tells her he wants a better effort. Then he tells Isis he wants to see her that weekend. She says they’ll have to work up to it. Feeling scared that she and Tyrone are getting to close, Isis goes out with Lavert, but after a while finds him materialistic. He says he wants to see her again (and call him). She knows she won’t. Later, she hears talk of someone winning in the area but not coming to collect their money. When she checks her lottery ticket at him, she realizes its her.
She goes back and forth whether to tell her sister. She did give her 3 of the numbers but she’s a drug addict. Then she gets the call her sister is in the hospital. She finds out Trey Sr found her and called the police. She decides to put Shantay in rehab and goes home, tells Tyrone about the money and proposes to him. She tells the kids they’re going to Disney World and that she’s getting married. Understanding finds out about the money and threatens Isis with blackmail of old videos and pictures she took. She made a video tape with Dana because of Understanding. Tyrone is pissed but agrees to a prenup. Isis also decides to send Trey Sr to rehab. People start coming out the woodworks. Isis locates her father. She gives Understanding money and he opens a studio. She also gives Dana money for a house.
One Night Six Dreams
As it opens, Devante has won the lottery and is making plans of what he’ll do with the money. But when he remembers that he has to split the money with the six other people that brought tickets. But why should he? He’s the one that stood in the line. He doesn’t answer when Lisa calls. This makes her, Marcus, Sheila, and Joe speculate that Devante has pocketed the money and used it for alcohol. Then they guess right. He’s keeping the money for himself. It talks about how he meet Joe (rehab) and Lia (at the school he works at. He’s a janitor). He also thinks about how Lisa told him she’s pregnant. They go to find him.
Nydia needs the money because her husband died and he’d given them a lot of debt. They had to sell their house. They owned a body shop that a mob family convinced him would be good for business. Thus, they turned it into the biggest chop in the city and it brought in thousands. A coworker caused a fire and five lbs of coke was lost in a Bently the mob family had stored there. Nydia’s husband was blamed for trying to “void” the contract and got severly beat. Later dying from a weak heart. So, now they want Nydia to pay them 10 million.
Devante decides to make an escape out the window. He steps out on the fire escape as Joe kicks down the door. Marcos is also desperate for the money because he has a crack addiction. He has 3 baby’s momma’s also and wants to “pay them off”. Joe sees Devante trying to get out the fire escape and he gets away. Some go after him, but Lisa and Joe stay behind. He can’t claim the money until the next day. Joe says he’ll probably go to a hide away spot he knows. He gets a clue when Devante says he’ll see him on the flipside. He doesn’t tho intend to tell the others.
Joe and Lisa go to track Devante down. Joe thinks that the first thing he’ll do is move his wife and sons out of their cramped two bedroom apartment. He’d quit his job and become a writer. He’ll also get his first born son help because his ex did crack he was born with a mental retardation. He knows his ex will come after him for a piece of the money. He brought Lisa because he knows the feelings between Devante and Lisa. The last conversation they had Joe said he’d take care of the kid but he didn’t know what he and Lisa could be. Marcus forms an alliance with Nydia to eliminate Sheila from the equation. They’ll worry about the others late. Marcus bash’s Sheila over the head with a snow globe and kills her.
Lisa, Joe, and Devante all agree to avoid the other three at all cost. They decide to go to Joes, but his wife says Marcus has called and she told them she didn’t know where they were. Jimmy kicks them out because he overhears them saying they have to get out of there before Marcus shows up. As they leave, Devante feels eyes on them. Marcus is watching them. He’s also killed Nydia because she starts to protest to his plans. He’s also killed a teenager for a car. He runs Nydia down with the car. He’s starting to get a high off the kills. He's now decided it wants all the money.
Marcus finds Joe and then Devante and holds them at gun point. He tells them what happened to the others and he leads them to their hotel room. In the room, Marcus’s pistol whips Devante and thanks him for making him a better man and for his financial growth. Then he demands the ticket. Devante tells him he’s not getting ish. He says your call and shoots Joe in the stomach. He says he’ll kill Joe and Lisa but not him because he wants him to live with what he’s done. Devante throws him to the ground and they start to fight. Each trying to get the gun. Devante gets the upperhand, beats Marcus to submission, and gets the gun. They can’t take Joe so they leave him there (to die). Devante promises to take care of his family.Marcus thinks that the best thing to do (with the thought of Marcus coming after them) is to catch a flight out of the country.
A car chase between Marcus and Devante ends with Marcus going off a draw-bridge. When Devante goes to the claim the money, he’s taken to jail by two undercover cops who find Sheila’s body in his apartment. Lisa has disappeared. We find out that Lisa watched the whole thing, saw the ticket fall, and then took it. At first she didn’t want it, but…. It’s 180 million dollars so you know.. She packs up and goes to the Bahamas and thinks oh well to Devante.
My Thoughts:
The one that had the most impact on me was ONE NIGHT SIX DREAMS because it showed to what extreme people will go to get their pockets swollen. When you read it you just shake your head and sadness. The same events happened to a boy in my HS over a popular sports jacket. Money really is the root of all evil. So many lives are taken, and crimes committed because of it.
*
I liked GHETTO FABULOUS because it had a more positive aspect to it. The story was like a tale of Rags to Riches. It showed what you SHOULD do if you hit it big.
I liked EASY STREET because it had a little vindictive flavor to it. That one felt very real and very true to life, knowing now in my years what I've experienced with people that are only after you because of what they think you can do for them. I could easily relate!
Rate: 7 This was a REALLY good book! It was amazingly better than I thought it would be from looking at the cover. Each story was easy to read and had shocking twists and plot lines.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2010
All of the stories in this book were great. I had a bunch of spots marked to put in my review, but you really should read it all for yourself. It is amazing what people will do for money.
Here is a quote from each story:
Easy Street by Carl Weber and La Jill Hunt:
P.21 "I need to borrow two dollars until tomorrow. So I can play Lotto.Ain't you heard? The jackpot's fifty million."
"Yeah, I heard, but I ain't givin' you shit.
Ghetto Fabulous by Angel Hunter
P.109
"Little did I know a dream about numbers and a little bit of luck would change my life. What happened? I hit the lottery. Can you believe that shit? Me, a young black girl from the 'hood, who one day decided, what the hell, and bought a ticket, was now a multimillionaire."
P. 188
"I tell you this story to say: never give up hope, never doubt, and always believe. We don't know what life holds in store for us."
I love that second quote! Good words to live by!
One Night...Six Dreams by Dwayne S. Joseph
P.193
"I just won the lottery. I just won the goddamn lottery wroth one hundred and eighty million dollars!
P.194-195
"Shit. In my excitement I completely forgot that we all chipped in ten bucks for sixty tickets. I have to share the jackpot."
"Damn".
"But wait a minute. I did all the hard work. No one came with me and stood for over an hour in line to get those tickets. I have the winning tickets and no proof that they contributed anything, so it's my word against theirs. One hundred and eighty million dollars. Split six ways, that's thirty million apiece. Split one way, that's a hell of a lot more to spend."
This third story was my favorite. It was very action packed and had a surprising end!
Here is a quote from each story:
Easy Street by Carl Weber and La Jill Hunt:
P.21 "I need to borrow two dollars until tomorrow. So I can play Lotto.Ain't you heard? The jackpot's fifty million."
"Yeah, I heard, but I ain't givin' you shit.
Ghetto Fabulous by Angel Hunter
P.109
"Little did I know a dream about numbers and a little bit of luck would change my life. What happened? I hit the lottery. Can you believe that shit? Me, a young black girl from the 'hood, who one day decided, what the hell, and bought a ticket, was now a multimillionaire."
P. 188
"I tell you this story to say: never give up hope, never doubt, and always believe. We don't know what life holds in store for us."
I love that second quote! Good words to live by!
One Night...Six Dreams by Dwayne S. Joseph
P.193
"I just won the lottery. I just won the goddamn lottery wroth one hundred and eighty million dollars!
P.194-195
"Shit. In my excitement I completely forgot that we all chipped in ten bucks for sixty tickets. I have to share the jackpot."
"Damn".
"But wait a minute. I did all the hard work. No one came with me and stood for over an hour in line to get those tickets. I have the winning tickets and no proof that they contributed anything, so it's my word against theirs. One hundred and eighty million dollars. Split six ways, that's thirty million apiece. Split one way, that's a hell of a lot more to spend."
This third story was my favorite. It was very action packed and had a surprising end!
March 22, 2020
Smh!!! For the love of money. There are positives and negatives to having money. The stories show three different scenarios. What people do for moneeeeeyyyy.
June 10, 2010
I find that most contemporary, African-American urban fiction authors tend to write on the level of YA novels (except with more explicit sex, language and violence). I prefer writing that SHOWS me the story and doesn't TELL me the story.
I didn't care too much for the first two short tales of this book. I became bored very quickly with both. The ending of the first was cheesy and unrealistic. The second was a little better but not by much. The dialogue and situation were a bit more believable (most of the time at least). The third story held my interest. Even though I still didn't care too much for the writing, the fiction itself wasn't too bad.
Perhaps if I were in my late teens I may have found it to be a more interesting read.
I didn't care too much for the first two short tales of this book. I became bored very quickly with both. The ending of the first was cheesy and unrealistic. The second was a little better but not by much. The dialogue and situation were a bit more believable (most of the time at least). The third story held my interest. Even though I still didn't care too much for the writing, the fiction itself wasn't too bad.
Perhaps if I were in my late teens I may have found it to be a more interesting read.
March 1, 2009
these short stories were very good, they explored what the love of money can really do. and how far people will go when a lot is at stake, although they were short stories, they were very satisfying and had some twists in them.
April 25, 2011
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June 18, 2015
Good book, multiple stories about how winning the lottery changes lives and has folks showing their true identities.
First and last stories were the best. The last was by far the deepest and demonstrated the ultimate consequences of greed
First and last stories were the best. The last was by far the deepest and demonstrated the ultimate consequences of greed
August 30, 2007
this book has 3 short stories about the crazy things people would do for money
July 10, 2008
WINNING THE LOTTO IS EVERYONE'S DREAM BUT IF YOU REALLY WIN WILL YOU BE PREPARED?
December 28, 2011
The last story should be a movie. I enjoyed winning the lottery with all of them.
August 21, 2012
The first two stories were good, but I was tried of reading about the same thing. I finally finished the book today.
August 14, 2015
Wow
Good read, I liked each story but the last one was something else,, shameful when you can't trust so called friends.
Good read, I liked each story but the last one was something else,, shameful when you can't trust so called friends.
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