Judgment Time

The proceeds from the Nametka judgment came in.
I had stopped by the Credit Union to make a deposit. The balance looked funny; it had too many digits. I puzzled over it for a while until I realized that it must be so big because the judgment had come in.
I laughed out loud - literally. I had not let myself really expect this to happen. Yes, I had thought about what I would do with it, but I suppose emotionally I was not expecting it to happen. I broke into laughter with happiness, and no-one was at the Credit Union to see the crazy man.
When I got home, the first thing to do was to pay off my Discover bill. Supporting three adults has been very expensive, and I had not let myself notice just how deeply I was sinking financially. Now that I, through hard work and a bit of luck, could address this, I was disappointed to find that my good fortune might extend to cleaning up the worst of the situation but would not let me prudently blow any of it on imprudence.
That's ok. I am happy and have a chance to stabilize finances now that the younger folk are able to care for themselves.
I physically took my Discover card out of my wallet. For the rest of the year, I'm running on cash. It's a primitive method, and it may mean I will forsake some opportunities, but I never again want to live on credit. It may work for others but for me that's merely good judgment.