You know that dream we all have? The one where we stumble upon a life-changing chunk of cash just lying around, waiting for us to pick it up? Well, Jerry Hicks from North Carolina just lived it. It started as simply as this: a stray $20 bill, lying there in the Speedway parking lot on N.C. 105 in Boone, as if it was calling out his name.

Like most of us, he could have just pocketed the cash and moved on. But Jerry saw a different kind of opportunity. He decided to take that $20 inside and try his luck with a lottery ticket. And not just any ticket—a $25 “Extreme Cash” scratch-off. Ironically, it wasn’t even the ticket he wanted; his first choice was sold out. Life really works in weird ways, doesn’t it?

Here’s where the universe stepped in to show off its sense of humor. Jerry scratched off his ticket to reveal a $1 million prize. That’s right. A random $20 on the ground turned into enough money to change his life forever. And this wasn’t some broke college kid who needed rent money. This guy’s a master carpenter, and he’s been working those hands to the bone for 56 years. With his winnings, Jerry says he’s finally ready to retire, maybe even lend his kids a little support.

But first things first. Before the retirement plans and helping his kids, Jerry knew exactly how he wanted to celebrate: a no-holds-barred meal at Golden Corral. "We’re going to eat everything they’ve got," he told lottery officials, grinning ear to ear.

In the end, Jerry chose the lump sum of $600,000 over the annuity. After taxes, he walked out with $429,007—not a bad return on a $20 bill he didn’t even work for.

So next time you see a crumpled bill lying around, pick it up. Who knows?