It sure would not be Jack Bauer

Daily writing prompt

If you had a million dollars to give away, who would you give it to?

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Ah, “If you had a million dollars to give away, who would you give it to?” At first glance, it seems simple. Just pick someone—or something—and hand them the money. But then I start noticing the little quirks in the wording.

Notice how it didn’t say, “If you had to give away a million dollars, what organization would you give it to?” That would have been straightforward. Or, “If you were very rich and wanted to give away a million dollars, who would get it?” That implies thoughtful deliberation, like I’d be sitting in a velvet chair sipping coffee while weighing my options. And it didn’t even say, “If you were forced to give away a million dollars, who would you give it to?” That one suddenly makes me picture shadowy figures tapping me on the shoulder, clipboard in hand.

Other honest ways this question could have been asked:

• “If you had one million dollars to give away, which person or organization would you choose?”
• “If you could donate a million dollars to a cause, where would it go?”
• “If you were wealthy and wanted to make a meaningful impact with one million dollars, who or what would benefit?”
• “If you were required to give away a million dollars, how would you decide where it goes?”
• “If you could fund a program, person, or organization with one million dollars, what would you choose?”

The actual prompt—oh, the actual prompt—keeps it delightfully vague. “Who would you give it to?” Who? Singular? Plural? A person? A foundation? The possibilities are endless.

Which is how my mind wandered to this scenario: what if a million dollars literally appeared in my backyard… and Jack Bauer was aggressively pursuing me? Suddenly, the philosophical “who” turns into a high-stakes action scene. I picture him vaulting over the hydrangeas, sprinting past the garden, yelling, “Rich, hand over the million!” Meanwhile, I’m scrambling to figure out if I can hide the money in the shed, toss it safely out of reach, or somehow negotiate with a man who clearly doesn’t negotiate well.

And of course, I start overthinking taxes. What are the implications for me, yes—but more importantly, what about the person or foundation I give it to? Could it harm them? Could one million dollars unintentionally ruin someone, break up families, fuel an addiction, create waste, or just make things worse? I can’t just throw cash into the world and hope for the best. I need to be deliberate. I need to understand the ripple effects of my decision.

Through all of this—through the chase, through the mental gymnastics, through the taxes, and through imagining all the ways money could backfire—the bottom line becomes clear. I would do my homework. I would research. I would find a foundation that is transparent, effective, and truly helps people struggling with drug and alcohol addiction—programs with proven results that put people back on the right track without creating harm or unintended consequences.

So yes, even if Jack Bauer is sprinting past my tomato plants, chasing me across the yard, and I’m trying to think fast, the million dollars lands where it really matters. Not in Hollywood, not in my sneakers, and not with Jack Bauer—though I imagine he’d still give me a nod of approval for making it count.

But for now… let me have my coffee, and I will hold on to it and get back to you on this one.

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