Imagine your telephone rings one day and a pleasant voice says, "I'm a representative of Carol Joy Enterprises, and do you remember entering a drawing for a month-long, all-expenses-paid vacation to the English countryside? Guess what—you're the winner!"

You might begin to dance around the room. "Are you serious?! I can't believe it! I've never won anything in my life!"

Immediately your head fills with the images of green, rolling hills you saw on the poster in the store. Quaint cottages with thatched roofs. Narrow cobblestone streets. Sheep grazing in the meadows. Stone fences. Delightful shops. Now it is all to be yours: a free package of airfare, lodging, food, and activities.

"Come to our offices tomorrow at 11 o'clock, and we'll give you the details," the representative says. That night you can hardly sleep. A free vacation!

The next morning you sit across the desk from the woman.

"Okay, on May 17, you have a 7:40 p.m. flight out of Kennedy airport, so you'll need to be there by ...