The Blue Carbuncle: Peterson the Commissionaire

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

Title: The Blue Carbuncle: Peterson the Commissionaire
Author: gardnerhill                        
Word Count: 60
Rating: G
Warning: None
Summary: A £1000 reward is a stunning windfall for a regular bloke – emphasis on “stunning.”

***

Oh it were lovely at first. Took the missus for a proper holiday, even bought some mad hat she’d had her eye on.

But folks – and long-lost relatives – flocked round with their hands out, got ugly when I wouldn’t just cough up.

Finally gave most of it to the Widows and Orphans Fund and went back to me old job.

Comments

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

It sounds so good in theory. Could have been worse - he could have drunk it all.

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

There's a separate skill to handling a large money windfall - and Peterson may have found it very hard to keep saying "no" to all the beggars.

On the plus side, his wife's beautiful new hat is their own souvenir of the whole business.

[debriswoman]

Some things never change.
Glad the missus got a mad hat, though:-)

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

Yep - I imagined Mrs. Peterson pining for some fabulous froth of ostrich feathers and lace that would probably cost a couple months' rent.

The hat will make a great conversation starter from now on.

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Like debriswoman, I love that detail of the 'mad hat' - it says a lot indirectly about the affection Peterson has for his wife ^_^

And yes - a life-changing amount of money is not always a positive thing. Peterson sounds like a sensible and generous man.

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

A nice concrete souvenir of their windfall. And I can imagine the Missus pining for some great poufy Victorian head-cake that would cost about 2 months' rent. It'll really set off her repeatedly-washed and somewhat faded good dress.

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Thirding the kudos for the mad hat. But I (who never plays the lottery) always cruelly enjoy the stories of fallen lottery winners. But I like Peterson, too, so would wish a different fate for him.

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

As the rapper said very truthfully and succinctly, "mo' money, mo' problems."

Money management is a skill like any other, and if you never learned it it's tough to learn how to handle a windfall.

But the missus now has her fabulously expensive hat.