Schadenfreude

"We were only 2 numbers away!"

That's what a well meaning co-worker uttered after the office pool did not win, again. I had to smile, my arrogant, disdainful "I'm glad I didn't put my money in the pot" smile.

I wasn't happy that they didn't win; I was glad that I hadn't lost my five bucks. Of course logic would dictate that had they won, I would have been none too pleased with my abstinence, so in essence I was rooting for them to lose.

I guess I kind of envy that misguided eternal hope, bordering on delusion. To have that much faith and optimism to decry being so close.

Maybe I'm just 2 numbers away too.