I was a little surprised on first reading. I thought that Gillian was disappointed that his uncle only left him a $1,000 and would be delighted that he now had $50, 000. However, on second reading I realized what a bright happy go lucky fellow Gillian is and how all he wants to do is have fun. To him, the $1000 his uncle left was an insult and a hindrance. Suddenly he is taken out of his spontaneous style of living and given a set of rules and conditions that he has to follow; and all of this under the presumption from his uncle that he had been selfish with his spending in the past. I don't think Gillian had meant to be selfish. He had just wanted to be free. From this point of view, the $1000 and then the $50,000 is designed to take that freedom away.