March 23: Pendulous Excrescnece, Money, More Than Just Enough

"What has to be done with his money?" asked a red-faced gentleman with a pendulous excrescence on the end of his nose, that shook like the gills of a turkey-cock.

Scrooge is just dead, and the red-faced gentleman (I assume he's a business associate of Scrooge) is curious about what's to become of the fortune Scrooge has accumulated in his lifetime.  Since Scrooge is as cheap with himself as he is everyone else, he's, no doubt, amassed a tidy sum in the bank.

Since money has been on my mind of late, this little passage spoke to me this morning.  Plus, I loved the disgusting description of the "pendulous excrescence" shaking "like the gills of a turkey-cock" at the end of this guy's proboscis.  There's something to be said for being frugal with your funds.  I'm all for it.  My family does not live extravagantly.  If you saw my fridge, you would know that hot dogs are a staple in this saint's household.  I can't recall the last time I went to a movie or ate at a restaurant the didn't have "Mc" in front of its name.

Scrooge is wealthy because of his cheapness.  He's also cruel, angry, bitter, and lonely.  I don't think I'd be like Scrooge if I were wealthy.  I have a hard time being stingy even with the money I do have.  I also think Charles Dickens wanted his readers to realize that extreme wealth, without compassion and good works, will lead to misery.  Whether Scrooge realizes it or not, he's a pretty miserable bastard, and it's because he's doing nothing with his blessings.

I usually don't quote the Bible because I don't think of myself as an evangelist.  However, in the Parable of the Faithful Servant in the gospel of Luke, Jesus says, "To whomever much is given, of him will much be required; and to whom much was entrusted, of him more will be asked."  Any way you cut it, if you got the wealth, you need to do something with it.

I've always thought I would make a great rich person.  At the moment, I would be happy to have just enough to make my monthly expenses.  For me, I'd feel rich if I made a little more than just enough.  That's all I'm asking:  to not have to cringe every time I look through the bills in the mail.  I don't think that's an unreasonable expectation.  I work all the time.

Yes, Saint Marty is whining.  Yes, Saint Marty is still worried about money.  No, Saint Marty doesn't have a pendulous excrescence at the end of his nose.

Saint Marty would be this...

Not...

This