A blessing in disguise?

WE HAVE A RARE FLUTTER on the National Lottery this weekend and win the grand sum of £10. Not exactly a life-changing amount, but as they say, better than a smack in the face with a wet kipper. And it will at least buy a couple rounds of drinks at the Pub.

Thing is, though, I sometimes wonder about this getting rich business - you know, winning the £7 million jackpot - and what sort of effect it might have.

I have to confess to a certain ambivalence about it.

Oh yes, undoubtedly having a little money tucked away for a rainy day would certainly keep financial insecurity from one's door.

But at the same time, having too much money - and coming upon it suddenly, as in a big lottery win - might have a detrimental effect on one's health.

I was talking to Steve R about it one day - he's a Friday regular in the Geriatrics' Corner, and as a successful roofer he's not short of a bob or two himself. I mean, just look at the £75,000 Jaguar he drives...

Anyhow, Steve reckons that people who aren't used to wealth go a little crazy when it lands on them like that. Oh yes, no doubt great at first - all their dreams can come true: the little cottage in the country, the foreign holidays, something for the kids, nice car, expensive clothes, the food and the wine...

But then Steve says the novelty wears off. City dwellers rarely transplant successfully to country cottages - not for any length of time, anyway. Rural living isn't all it's cracked up to being.

As for holidays, well how many can you take without suffering from permanent jet lag?

The kids end up spoilt and lazy - after all, why should they work when they know they'll inherit a fortune?

As for the rest, well how many cars can you drive, how many clothes do you need, how many meals can you eat in a day?

And bit by bit the dream turns sour. You have all this money but it's bringing you no joy at all.

"So you end up turning to drink, like I did," says Steve, "You pour the money down your throat - and end up needing a liver transplant, like me."

Steve is sworn off the booze now - has to be.

"At least you've got a nice car," I point out to him.

"It's just a magnet for thieves," he answers.

Reflecting on this conversation, maybe I should regard winning only £10 a blessing in disguise!