Wow. I’m so excited. What if I really do win???

I don’t know about you, but I haven’t gotten a lot of work done today – too many visions of what-if-I-win-the-Powerball dancing in my head.

And it’s not just me. Our entire office went in on a Powerball pool. Lottery officials say the jackpot is up to about $550 million. So we’ve got 15 chances to win, and that’s about $16 million and change apiece, after taxes. Or, if we want the cash annuity, about $800,000 a year.

“That’s not enough!” said one co-worker.

“I can’t live on that!” said another.

Oh, how greedy we can be. And what dreamers we are.

On the walk to the Jacksons, to get our office pool Powerball numbers, it was all two of us talked about.

“Family and friends come out of the woodwork, they say. You know, I don’t think I’d give any of it to them.”

“They also say you need to get a money manager sort of person right away. That’s even before you claim your prize.”

At the Jacksons, business was brisk and the store clerk took one look at us and said one word, practically rolling her eyes with her voice: “Powerball?”

I asked if she’s sold a lot of tickets today. She said the past three days have been “ridiculous.”

I asked her the question: “Did you buy a ticket?”

Nuh-uh. She said she’d be more likely to save all her change up and by the end of the year, she’d probably have about $1 million.

When I told that story to a coworker, he scoffed, but hey, maybe she’s got another job, too. Or something. It’s an anything-could-happen sort of day.

And even if we don’t win, we’ve enjoyed thinking about it. That’s at least $2 worth of entertainment. And we’ve been talking about what we’d do with all that money, off and on for hours.

“I’d go away to a spa and just relax and think about it for a month.”

“I’d travel to all the places I’ve never seen before.”

“It would be nice to have a little chalet in the south of France.”

My favorite (but not sure I’m buying it): “I already feel like I’ve won the lottery. I’ve got my family, my two kids.”

Of course we’ve discussed the likelihood – or not – of winning. The consensus is, we’re more likely to be attacked by killer bees, hit by lightning or killed by a dog.

I do know this: We are all in. If we win, you’ll know it by 8 a.m. tomorrow.

It comes down to this existential question: If a phone rings and no one is there to answer it, does it make a sound?