What I think people aren't saying here is this could be the end of the Hoard. Like, it's gone.
Suppose the $1600 isn't raised. Even with Chris' Entrepreneurial spin as of late, he's only netted $2,000, and this is a less worthy cause.
They don't have the money; they had been told far in advance that they'd need it, and they were Okay with "Insurance Pays for it", but now that's come due. We are at 10 months after the fire, and I think this has been plenty of time for decent repairs to be done.
The game of owing or guilt tripping is going to be done.
Financial transactions with the words "pay later" run into "Credit History" which would find the aforementioned Credit Card Debts and obligations.
Just like that, it's gone. The bill isn't paid, the hoard is sold--perhaps at auction, perhaps to Mr. Clyde Cash. As a Christological Source, the Hoard is probably worth a couple hundred $$$ even if its water damaged and in poor shape, and Clyde Cash has cash.
But even if its just thrown away, it is the end of an era. Barb probably won't be running to Goodwill anymore to buy useless crap--Chris does things like get medicine. It would take real initiative and sacrifices to regain the hoard--but people who would do those things wouldn't have endangered it with extension cords.
Finally, the first good thing to have happened to Chris for years--is because he is literally unable to afford the wrong choice. He will actually have space and things might not stink as much as they have.
