10-TIT FOR TAT “1990 SANDY THOMAS

or we'd both be blimps." She was right, I was used to counting pennies.

"We can't just throw it away like this,” I announced. "Why not?" Donna asked.

"Because, it's not right."

Tana got serious. "Look, this isn't hard earned money. This was a gift from 'lady luck', to be enjoyed, spent, abused. I say we spend every cent and enjoy the money for at least five years and after that we'll start saving and investing. What say? Let's have some fun."

Victor added, "Your money isn't going to stop coming for twenty years. Even saving for the last five years would be enough for life. Have fun with it. Look at my dad. He saved all his life and died before he could enjoy one dime. Have fun...spend every cent for at least the first five years, Okay." Tana knew me and added, "I agree. No carry over. We have to spend every cent every year.'

Donna joined in, "And we'll help you spend it. Believe me. I know how to shop."

Victor laughed and added, "She's got a 'black belt' in shopping. The other day she even brought home something we needed!"

The next morning I woke up early as usual with just the tinge of a hangover. It took a couple minutes before I remembered I'd quit my job yesterday.

Tana was up and brought me coffee in bed. I looked at her smiling face. We both felt like the cat that ate the canary. “Well?" I asked. "What do we do today?”

"I thought we'd shop for a couple of new cars and maybe a new house. I think we can find something comfortable for about $700,000.00. That's only about $7,700.00 a month on a twenty year mortgage so we'll own it when the money runs out. I want that little Mercedes convertible that should run about $1000.00 a month. I figured you for that Porsche Convertible that should be another 'grand'. That still should leave us with a little under $40,000.00 to blow."

She had it all worked out, ten grand a week and new house and cars. How could I argue. There was no way we could keep up this pace.

I was on top of the world. . . at least for a while.

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TV FICTION CLASSICS 11 VICTOR AND DONNA

Victor and Donna Lorenzo had recently moved to the suburbs and we bought the two acre low ranch-style house behind theirs. It was a mini-estate, with polished oak floors, rough-hewn beams, gardens that were in bloom most of the year and had a huge lagoon-like pool. I joined Victor's exclusive country club, had new cars, new clothes. It was like a dream, everything I wanted from a beautiful wife to living in a luxury home. It was all mine.

For those of you that are not rich: a word of advice. It is not healthy waking up each day with only the requirement to find a new thing or thrill to buy. We seemed to have fun for the first few months, but then we started running out of things to buy. Victor had warned us of this. We even tried traveling but it seemed different. We had nothing to 'vacation' from. Mostly Victor and I hung around the Bairwood Club, playing golf (a sport I really don't like) and drinking in the bar. I was bored.

I drank too much because I felt uncomfortable. The Bairwood Country club was 'old money'. I was surprised I was allowed in but Donna told Tana that Victor had personally gone to bat for me. His father had been one of the founders of the club even though Victor had just been admitted after his father's death. I think Victor had some 'dirt' on the membership chairman's 'extra circular' activities.

To say the club was 'snooty' was an understatement. The front of the club looked like a Mercedes car lot, parked end to end with an occasional Jag or Caddie thrown in. The men all had alligators on their chests. The women draped in diamonds and gold.

When one bronzed heir was bragging about his latest addition to his Rolex (a diamond bezel), I explained how my "Sieko kept perfect time, and who would need more." Victor kicked me under the table and I got the point.

First impression was that these 'rich kids' were lazy, spoiled jerks. I was wrong. Most were very productive members of society. The men were doctors, lawyers, businessmen, politicians. Most had been left money but had gone to the best schools, were educated, and even though they lived in the shadow of their benefactor parents, they were doing well. Being around such important people made me feel insecure.