Enormous amount for Avery, if he had been free to spend it like he wanted.
The two lawyers, though, were probably accustomed to higher living standards along with the accompanying higher costs. Weren’t they big city lawyers? Can’t remember, but most of them are, since they don’t like to live near junkyard scrap dealers as far as I know. Property values, scenery, you know the deal.
Not that I begrudge them their money. They’re entitled to it, most of the time. It’s just when they come to a sleepy little podunk town with good old boys in charge, they have, as you call it, an uphill battle. Steep uphill.
By the way, for the record my wife is an associate attorney, with 25 years of experience just at her current firm - almost 10 more years at another one before that.
The lawyer she works for now lives WAY beyond his means, so much so that he has trouble paying the two employees he’s got. And his firm brings in 7 figures a year in a relatively backwater place.