A Snippet of Americana; Suicide, the ultimate default position

American Horse

AKA "Mustang"
Jan 23, 2009
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The Hoosier Heartland
Resquiescat In Pace – Some thoughts:

A friend, but more, my wife’s friend of thirty years, and her longtime lunch partner, business associate, a commercial realtor – wife is a residential realtor, also of long standing – during their weekly lunch a few days ago, in passing conversation, mentioned some things.

He had recently sold off his collection of “walking canes” and his collection of guns, except for the one he commonly kept in his car. This sale was precipitated by a lack of any real estate sales for almost two years; so it had finally come down to selling his personal collections.

There is a last ditch fallback position for the businessman, and I suppose others too; I will call the "ultimate default" situation. That is to create a new project or a situation after which, by comparison, all existing failures will now shrink to insignificance.

After their lunch and sometime that same day our mutual friend shot himself. The casket is closed suggesting it was in the head and not intended to fail.

A person who in better times had the foresight to take out a million dollar policy “just in case” – remember that a life insurance policy could be seen as a bet against one's self – and had during long decades kept the premium paid-up, above all, would not allow that policy to lapse because of an imminent inability to pay the necessary premium when all other options had been exhausted and found wanting.

I had thought it was possible that an insurance policy would not cover that eventuality, but that is a question best asked of the selling agent at the time a policy is taken out.

Another commercial realtor and an old friend was called in to help the widow make decisions. He was asked to speak at the funeral and to help her decide what to do with the property, all of which is heavily mortgaged. His advice; let the banks foreclose, since all the deeds and loans are held by the deceased’s corporation.

He was the type of person who would always greet you with a smile and when asked, offer the best possible advice with sincerity and pragmatism.

R.I.P.

Business Photo
 
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