The Lottery Games

Dear Maria,

As you know, I don’t play the lottery, but last night at dinner even I had to mention the amount that was in play this week. And then the mind begins to turn over the prospects, the what-ifs.

Somewhere along the way, someone in sort of a chat-at-the-water-fountain-moment told me to just plan on only ending up with 40% of the amount. The tone was the same as when you hear someone say something along the lines of, well, you know you will have to pay taxes. Okay, so I am bent out of the frame for having only, uh, roughly 160 million dollars? That I didn’t work a lick for? Not so much.

Of course, I can hear myself saying to former students and friends a zillion times, well a couple hundred bucks is not going to change my lifestyle. A $1000 is not going to change my life in a profound fashion. Okay, Mr. Profundity, how about $160,000,000?

Let’s see, rewire my little home, upgrade some plumbing, put on a better roof, make a few structural alterations, and voila, $159,980,000. Okay, Mr. Generosity, dole some out to the family. Allowance or lump sum? Uh-oh, need a financial planner.

All right, all right—yes, I would get a damn sailboat. Not too big—well, maybe two. One for me to single-hand around the harbor and one for my crewmates to rejoin me for a bit of fun racing around the buoys. Well, sure the boats would be new. Without being too fussy with the details, would leave me with $159,920,000.

Pleasures in life. That’s the change, more pleasures in life—not to worry or even give a second thought. Then, I think of the life-expectancy numbers newly released—18 years is the number now for me. I’m not going to spend this kind of money, even if the number turns out to be 30 years.

Ocean front house—yes, reckon so. New truck, okay. So, $155,000,000.

Man, I need to give it away. Nearly all of it, and I am going to need help. Scholarships, medical care, cars, houses, and give it to individuals, not organizations. The sooner, the better. Just respond to stories from folks I trust. Needs to be met.

Nope, no saint. Just doing what I have seen my friends and family do over and over again. Giving to food banks, other people’s sick children, school supplies—not with their huge bank accounts, just their huge hearts.

Lesson learned. As always, srk