Holy sh*t! Pleasant surprise?

You are a better man than I am Killick!

I'd be halfway to Vegas... no, no, I wouldn't.

Think I'd invest it all in gold.

 

You paid it forward, made a difference in her life, and wound up being paid back for your selflessness. Bravo all around!

 

Thanks, all. I should add that it's welcome dosh, since I'm not working much now that I'm a stay-at-home caretaker for my mom. Was hoping to freelance while I took care of her, but it's been WAY more time-intensive than I thought going in. (Also wasn't counting on having to wipe another person's backside EVER, but that's a story for another day.) So... yeah, the windfall's nice. Still, i don't feel worthy.

[still processing]

 

Gee, maybe I can pony up and go ad-free now?

 

Ding ding -- put the money to use in the care of your mom; defray expenses or get something nice for her. Or yourself!

I'd bet your neighbor-benefactor would be totally on board and not surprised in the least. What goes around comes around, etc etc.

 

This is an awesome story. Deposit the check today, and ENJOY IT. You do deserve it. Don't give it another second's thought.

 

Give the $711 to charity and keep the rest. That's still a worthy donation.
She wanted you to have it, and you need it, and she probably set some aside for charity, too.

 

Sink it all into Tesla

 

She would have delighted in your expression when you turned over the check, and she would delight in your enjoyment of that money.

You'll be tempted, but don't bet it all on red.

Always bet on black.

 

Good for you, Killick. Whether or not you feel you deserve it, she felt you did. Do something nice for yourself.

 

There is nothing here that makes you "deserve it" or make you "worthy" of it. You did a nice thing for which (hopefully) you were not expecting any reward. She decided that this was how she wanted to distribute her accumulation of wealth and in her eyes you are more than worthy of it, otherwise you get zippo. Enjoy it and don't think of it anymore, its a question/quest that cannot be answered because the decision maker is no longer available.

A cousin who had a big impact on my life but who I had irked just before she passed left me a decent amount of money last year. I was flabbergasted and also wondered whether I was "deserving." I resolved that who was I to question how she decided to parcel out her estate.