how its done

Fish didn't know quite what to think as he studied the sum of the check. It wasn't just chunk change. Actually, Fish couldn't think to why Uncle Rowdy would give it to him.

"This is for you and Shan. Its just.. don't spend it. Not yet." When he said it,  Fish couldn't help but chuckle. Maybe Uncle Rowdy didn't actually have the funds for this.

"Why? Why didn't you give it to us..together?" Just what he needed. Hush money of some sort. And old cowboy trying to buy him off. Fish moved the check back to Rowdy as he sat across from him at the kitchen table. He wouldn't take it. "Are you trying to buy me off? You know, you can't."

"I know that. Its for the future." He pushed it back. "Its just this husband of yours can spend like wild fire when given half a chance and this is something you have to let grow."

"OK, but you can't just..give it to me. I don't want to accept it, unless he's here to accept it with me." Fish shook his head. He didn't believe Shan was that big of a spender. Sure, he loved to spend money on old books, old records and old clothes.

"I just wanted to help you two out." Rowdy shook his head as if he was afraid of the worst. "He doesn't know how to save money. We give him a home, and he spends every paycheck on..I dunno..what you two do."

"We took a trip to Corpus. We'd both saved for that trip." Granted, they could have camped out, like they said they would, but Shan kept insisting they should go to one of the hotels on the beach and live it up. Neither had called home for money. "I'm trying to get my old job back at the theater."

"You're in college, young man. You don't need two jobs." Uncle Rowdy shook his head, no to that.

Fish sighed as he pushed the check back to Uncle Rowdy.

"You can give this to both of us, when Shan comes home from work." Fish didn't want to start a fuss between Shan and his uncle.