As I was reading some of the posts here at WAP, I began thinking. Several of my thoughts melded together and I came up with an odd question, but was curious to know what your answers would be....

Let's say that your friend/pp/significant others HAVE to serve their time. If you were to win the lottery, (something 'small' like $65,000) What would you most want to be able to do for him/her?

I have thought it would be nice to put enough on his inmate account that he wouldn't have to worry for a while. But that didn't seem like anything major. So I think I'd try to get the staff to arrange for me to order something from the freeworld for him to eat that he's not had in a long time. There are many things I'd like to do, but that's just off the top of my head. So guys, what would YOU do?

I would first hire him an attorney to try and get his sentence reduced, then I would put money in his account.

mmm. If he HAD to serve his time, then I would put some nice dollars in his account.
Enough so that he could always buy food fit for human consumption. I would also pay for him to do a few courses he`s interested in.

Well for one of my pen pals she is away from her child so I would do everything in my power to try and get the child to visit his mommy more often like plane fare etc..., then put money on her books, and then some legal help

buy a house. Put together a business, so that he would have a life to go to upon release. I do not mean a beverly hills house. I mean coal country, where it is not expensive. A modest amount would be put into his account. Allow him to call, so I can hear tone of his voice to see if he is honest.

Um now what to do with $65,000? I could buy some creature comforts for my buddy, hire him an attorney, buy a house, or put some money into his account -- maybe. But what if the little luxeries I have sent in are not allowed to be given to the inmates of that prison? What if his attorney can't manage to get his time reduced? What if he has no intention of living where the house is located? What if other inmates try to weazel him out of his cash supply or he uses it like there's no tomorrow? It would all pretty much be a sad waste of good resourses, wouldn't it? So I wouldn't do any of those things at all. But I would still use it to bring some joy into my buddy's life. How? Instead of depleting the amount of money I have won I would take steps to increase it such as investing it or by putting it in the bank to earn interest. Then I would tell my buddy I have it and that I plan to share it with him. But I'll also explain that it will not be taken out of the bank etc until he gets out of prison and we come up with a very worthwhile way to spend it. Then during the rest of his time inside we can bat different ideas back and forth until we come up with a good one that we both agree on. That way he won't be preoccupied with the miserable situation he has landed in. Instead his thoughts would be taken up with how to use all those dollars and because of that there would probably be a smile on his face and a spring in his step. But, most importantly, he would not have to fret over his impending release as he would know that his future would be a bright and comfortable one that he could really look forward to. Well that's what I'd most likely do anyway.

As a footnote to this -- two years ago one of my buddies was so grateful for the friendship and compassion I showed him that he arranged to have $2,ooo released from an account he had in a bank outside of prison and had it sent to me as a gift. He told me that it was a present for me and I could spend it in any way I wished. I didn't really want to take the money because I'm just not that type of person and don't form friendships simply to see what I can get out of them. But then he made it pretty clear that he'd be offended if I sent it back. So this is what I did with it. I opened an investment account with the bank. Since then, every week, I have added a little more to it so that my money which began at $2,000 is now $4,000. And I have also thought of a great way to spend it. Come October I will be buying a plane ticket. Then in late December I will be flying off to the States to meet up with my buddy and spend some time with him. So these days I'm feeling really glad that I had enough forethought not to spend that money when it was sent to me because now I have the opportunity to visit the person who gave it to me in the first place and I'll be able to thank him in person for being such a generous and warm hearted person. And, personally, I couldn't think of a better way than that in which to spend it.