Chapter 6

My mom was nowhere to be found when I got home, but there was a note waiting for me on the table.

"Went to pick up your dad at the airport. Be back late. I love you, honey."

I fixed myself some Steak-Umms and plopped in front of the TV to zone out. My brain was full, and I took the chance to leisurely let it wander through subjects.

Lisa. Good lord that had been lovely, but I didn't harbor any illusions about it ever happening again. I didn't even know that I would want it to happen again. I'd hate to screw up what was obviously a good thing for her. But damn... that girl had talent.

Marty. I needed to make sure that I paid the old goat. I didn't want to be a welcher, and that meant I needed to get that payout. I made a note to call Dino and see if he was up for a road trip.

Jen. I was divorced, now, for all intents and purposes. Would she get half of the lottery money? Could she take half of it? I had no idea what the legalities of the situation were, but I reminded myself that I signed her form before I knew about the lottery. And if she never knew, she couldn't file any sort of claim against me for it or anything.

Anonymity. Did I really want the whole world to know I was a multi-millionaire? And all the attention and fuss that would cause? That was an easy one. Not on your life. So I told myself I would be a bit more quiet, and conscious of sticking out too much. I wondered how other people did it. I guessed they probably used lackeys or something to do their shopping for them, or to run errands of whatever kind. Did I want to get into that lifestyle? Did I have enough money to get into that lifestyle?

Spending the money. Good lord... this one just blew my mind. There were so many things that came to mind, that I could use the money for. I was a multimillionaire, living in my Mom's basement. This thought made me chuckle. I figured that the first thing I would need to do would be to get someplace to live. There weren't any real opulent neighborhoods in our part of the state, but it was where my family and friends were. I wasn't sure I wanted to leave that, at least right away.

My brain kept stubbing its toe against a strange thought. I wasn't that rich. I kept thinking of various things that famous athletes or celebrities did, that I simply wouldn't have the income for. On the subject of a home, my brain initially suggested that we find a house in some tropical location and fly in a private jet back to visit at my whims. But I didn't have that much money. Likewise with the thought of getting a custom-built mansion. I had read, and seen on TV, that custom homes can run as much as 10 million or more. In a strange way, that sum was too much for me to stomach spending. Not that I wouldn't have it, but that would be a large percentage of my money, and the thought turned my stomach. No, I thought, for now I'd focus on things that were thrifty and well-thought out, at least by my new standards. I kicked myself now for the deal I had made with Marty. I didn't have unlimited funds, and I needed to be careful with them, and work towards the lifestyle I desired.

Which brought me to the simple question. What did I want? What did I want my life to be like? I closed my eyes and leaned back. I wanted a nice house, I thought, but not too big. Six bedrooms, a couple thousand square feet, and nothing that would draw too much attention. I wanted a couple of cars, but no Ferraris or Lamborghinis. I had always wanted a nice, classic Mustang, and that was very doable. A motorcycle of some kind, and maybe a big four-wheeler. I wanted to be taken care of, so I wanted to look into hiring a staff... someone to cook and clean for me. I smiled at the thought of a mythical woman working as my maid, resplendent in a classic French maid's costume, walking around with a feather duster and legs that went up to her neck.

Was I going to keep working? I surely didn't need the money, but I did like my co-workers... I decided after mulling it over that I would put off the decision, and work in the interim. Dino was the only one who knew my secret, and his little interfering with Lisa aside, he would keep his mouth shut if I explained how much it meant to me.

It came down to me needing some professional advice. I had no idea how to go about investing the money, or if that was even a good idea. I knew the sort of life I wanted to lead, and I wanted some help making that happen. I had heard the term 'investment advisor' thrown around somewhere or other, but my mind balked at that thought. Someone taking a portion of my money, to supposedly give me advice, which might or might not be accurate. I shook my head and chuckled at myself. I was already becoming gun-shy about my money, and I didn't even have it yet.

What was I going to do with it when I got it? I needed to make a decision about that before I made the trek down to the capitol to pick up my check. I shrugged and chuckled again, and grabbed my cell phone. I called my bank and checked my balance.

"As of... six... a.m... today... your current and available balance is... four... dollars... and... twenty... seven... cents..."

Ahhhh... gotta love it. I pressed zero to speak with an operator and listened to the muzak for a few minutes, grinning in anticipation.

"ThankyouforcallingameribankmynameislesliehowcanIhelpyoutoday?"

"Hi there, Leslie. How are you today?"

"Fine, sir, thank you for asking. What can I do for you today?"

"Leslie, I've recently come into a great deal of money and I'm looking for investment advice. Is that a service that your bank provides?"

"I'm sorry, sir, but that's not something that I can adequately answer for you. If you'll hold for just a moment I'll transfer you to my supervisor."

"That'll be fine, Leslie. Thank you."

I was talking to the Muzak again, though. She had clicked me onto hold right away. I hummed along with a toned-down version of Born to be Wild, marveling at the nerve someone had shown, redoing this song with a harp and a french horn. That took guts.

"Hello, sir? My name is Cathy, and I'm in Investments. Leslie said you had some questions?"

"Hello, Cathy. I do indeed. I have recently come into a great deal of money, and I'm trying to make the smartest approach I can. Is that something that you can help me with?"

"I can indeed, Sir. I would prefer to meet in person, however, so we can converse more easily. I would be happy to set a time to sit down with you and go over some options."

"That would be great. I'm going to pick up my check in the next few days. How about this Friday? Later in the day is better for me."