What If I Won the Lottery

I was going to post something else a little more serious today, but I decided against it. Instead, I just let my thoughts go where they wanted to go.

Right now, I am flat broke. I really don’t have any money to speak of. Every now and then, I see one of those lottery signs that says you can win umpteen million dollars for a single dollar’s play. If you win, all of your problems will disappear and life will be just fabulous.

I saw a couple of those specials on lottery winners. One was about people who won and within a few years were busted and back to being just regular old flat broke. It was kind of sad to see people go on this roller coaster ride to the heights of luxury and then come crashing down. They squander all of their new found riches on things that don’t last. They prove themselves unable or, dare I say, unworthy of control and stewardship of the money that they are given. They don’t take any time to prepare or plan out how to use the money to live a materially better life. Some of them even end up in tax trouble or deep in debt because of silly investments or destructive behavior. The show reminded me of a series of horrible train wrecks. And I found that I just couldn’t turn the channel.

The other featured people whose lives had completely changed because of their winnings, how they coped and managed their money, and their new luxurious lifestyles. Some of them spent money on eccentric (They are rich now, so crazy doesn’t apply to them.) habits or collecting all kinds of things. One guy had suits of armor and a fantasy knife collections; knives that looked like something from a sword and sorcery movie. One woman who won was constantly getting random requests from everywhere for money. She was getting letters from people she didn’t know, from people who wouldn’t otherwise have taken the time to even spit on her, for thousands of dollars. These people didn’t even have the sense to try to make pleasant introductions; they just made demands. The post office went so far as to deliver mail to her that was just addressed to the "Lottery Winner". It was absolutely amazing in a disgusting, entitlement way.

I see all of these incredible sums of money advertised, I look at the lint in my pockets, and wonder whether I could handle winning that kind of money. Would I lose my mind? Would I blow it on some bad investments or some frivolous nonsense? Would I blow it all on expensive hookers and fancy homes that I could not keep up in the long term? Would I go to prison for killing former friends and relatives that began demanding things from me? Would I figure out how to use it to its greatest benefit and live a fantastic life? Could I figure out a way to do some good without getting in trouble?

I admit that sometimes I get lost in the possibilities and fantasy. I wonder how many people would tell me that I had sold out or changed. How many people would tell me that I acted like a different person and that it seemed like I didn’t want a lot of my old friends and acquaintances around? I also wonder how insulted they would get when I told them that they were absolutely correct and to kick rocks.

I have also seen specials about wealthy people and how a large part of their lifestyles revolve around the care and management of their money and resources. For many, it seems to be a full-time job and a focus of family discussion and activity. Some let it become an obsession. As far as it developing into a full-time job, that job can’t be as bad as some of the jobs that I have had. In fact it is probably a lot better. You get to set your own hours and agenda and pick your place of business.

I will say that if I can get my hands on a winning lottery ticket, or if anyone out there has a few million that they can slide my way, I will give it the old college try and see where I end up.