Getting my paycheck was like seeing the sun appear after a six month hibernation.  The dollar sign looked as ornate as a blooming flower with swollen white petals.  I could smell fresh buds, somewhere, poking forth from the tips of branches.  This tree had fruit made of gold.  Multi-faceted raindrops hung suspended from the womb of the red berries.  I was floating in a land rich with possibility, where the air dripped with aromas of expensive culinary treats: espresso and pecans and lamb and curry. 
    After depositing the check, I went online and paid off a portion of my debt.  It was a small amount, but it was the first bite of chocolate cake.