Talk about sibling rivalry reaching a whole new level: Did you read the one about two elderly sisters (83 and 87) who are fighting over a fortune--not a family inheritance or the sale of some family land, mind you, but a $500,000 lottery winning. Yep, now I've heard it all. It seems these sisters from Hartford, Connecticut, avowed gamblers and once-inseparable buddies, reached a previous agreement stating if either of them won money by gambling, lottery, playing the slots or cards, they would share it. Matter of fact, they even had an accountant, a typed contract and a notary public. These chicks were serious. And yet, now we learn, the poor baby sister, Rose Bakaysa, says she didn't even know about the winnings until she read it in the newspaper. How come, you say? Well, it seems baby Rose and big sis Theresa Sokaitis, had a falling out. Therefore, Theresa (who just happens to be the winner, duh) says the contract is null and void. Uh-oh. What judge do you think is going to hear this one out? Well, actually a lower court in Connecticut dismissed the suit under a law that makes gambling contracts illegal. However, the high court then argued that the sisters' agreement isn't covered by that law because it involves legal activities. (If you're not confused by now, you should be.) So this suit will indeed be heard before the Supreme Court of Connecticut.

Gosh darn, I hardly know where to begin with my opinion on this one, but I'm hearing a song in my mind, "Why can't we be friends?" by (oddly enough) War. The rebuttal in my mind is, "Money, money, money!" by the O'Jays. First off, I know all sisters fight because, as teens, my two sisters and I did--especially Nancy and I. Our worst fights were about taking turns using the telephone and involved sharp fingernails, coat hangers and screaming. Figure that one out. Next I've seen it with our own two daughters. Kelly, our oldest, not wanting to change Katie's diaper. What can I say? A fourteen year age difference brings up unique sets of circumstances. Lastly, I've seen it with our two granddaughters, Madison and Carly. Those two have about sixty fights an hour. I am serious. I swear I think they would fight over who gets more air while breathing if they could think that one up.

So, yeah, I get it: Sisters fight over stupid stuff. But this is even stupider stuff: winnings from a lottery ticket. What I want to know is, do octogenarians really do that much gambling, card playing and lottery buying? According to this newspaper article, these sisters did. But honey, I can tell you that is not the norm. Sure, my parents play gin rummy with each other occasionally at home. But as far as I know, they've never bought a lottery ticket and I doubt they've ever gambled in a casino. Okay, maybe, that one time they stayed at Bellagio in Las Vegas. But they weren't in their 80's at the time, either.

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention Rose and Theresa also have a brother, Joseph F. Troy, Sr., though his position on this money war wasn't stated in the article. (He didn't return a call from the reporter.) I can imagine that perhaps he is so embarrassed by all of this insanity that he's keeping quiet. Or it could be this: I don't know about Connecticut men, but I can tell you when Carolina women are talking, men don't have a chance!

Can't you just see this charade if it goes to trial: The older sister proudly hobbling on a brand new 14K gold cane and the baby sister shaking her fist, saying to her own attorney, "See what I mean! There she is showing off our $500,000, wasting it on silly stuff." About then the older sister winks at her attorney, who is promised half of the settlement if they win because "dang if my snotty nosed baby sister is getting any of it--it's the principal of the thing."

I can remember as a child when we rode in our Pontiac Ventura an hour one way to my grandmother's house. If we four kids, Cathy, Nancy, Steve or I--who were jumping up and down in the backseat as seat belts hadn't yet been invented--started arguing, my Dad didn't draw up a piece of paper or call an attorney. Oh no, instead, his voice lowered about three octaves and his arm grew about three feet. All we had to hear was, "That's enough!" and each one feel his quick slap and by durn, we settled down.

Maybe blood is thicker than water, but it doesn't appear to hold a candle to lottery winnings.

Ann Ipock, "Life Is Short, So Read This Fast!" amipock@ec.rr.com www.annipock.com