‘Bad vibe right now,’ Dan said when Lucky emerged. ‘This bald guy is good. He tested off the charts. But you’re the kind of contestant we want. Well known by name but also a mystery. A kind of celebrity but broke. And you’ve got a purpose. We like people with a mission. It’s not too late for you to enjoy Day of Fortune money.’

Then Lucky got another turn: he gently spun the wheel and the stagehands shot each other amused looks and one of them gave Marjorie the okay gesture high above his head, meaning Lucky didn’t need to redo the spin. They knew he was trying to game the wheel. He rapidly solved the next two puzzles, which might have been written for him: Food turned out to be Potato salad and grilled octopus. Classic Movie: Midway. (As the audience clapped, Lucky recalled the horrifying scene in which the pilot burned alive before crashing into the ocean.) He knew he solved these puzzles a little too quickly, didn’t spin as much as he should have, perhaps because nerves were getting to him. Marjorie cut to a commercial and touched the bow on the side of her wrap dress, called for the director. People from make-up attended to the players, gave each of them bottles of water to sip from—sip, they said, don’t spill the drink. The cameras rolled again.

‘Everyone, if Lucky wins this final puzzle he returns for the big day, the big dance. If he loses tonight, he doesn’t qualify. Lucky, tell me: what would you do with that potential jackpot of three hundred thousand dollars?’

‘I’d open a restaurant. A new Lucky’s.’

‘What? No way! You’re starting up the franchise again? I’ll be your first customer.’

‘I don’t want to start a full franchise. One little business in Sydney.’

‘You’re not wealthy, are you? Let’s make that clear to viewers out there.’

‘The cafes didn’t make me rich. And I made some bad decisions.’

‘Ouch. We won’t ask you what those decisions were! Or will we?’

‘I sold the franchise for less than it was worth, put it that way. Also, I had a gambling problem. Many Australians gamble to an unhealthy degree. If you do gamble too much, and you’re watching this, please seek help. That’s what I did.’

‘Thank you, Lucky. You have a good heart. Tell us about your plans for the new restaurant.’

‘It will look like the old ones. And there’s a woman who used to work at one of the cafes. As you may know, a man came in and shot people at my cafe and this young woman, she survived. I won’t say her name, but maybe she’ll be the manager of this new restaurant. Because, look at me: I’m too old to run the place full-time.’