Chapter 9: Epilogue

Breaking her back was hard on Mom ... I’d have to say.

She quit. Life wasn’t fun any longer. Constant pain and the accompanying opiates left her out of sorts. She did manage to hold on for four years.

She’d been taking a reverse mortgage on her house and spending the money on clothes she didn’t wear and sold at her annual garage sale. I think it was her charitable good work.

When the end came and she was laid to rest in her prepaid lot in the prepaid coffin of her choice after her prepaid funeral, we ... the survivors ... gathered at the attorneys for the ‘reading’ of the will, the lawyer opened a surprisingly thin envelope, read the document and wiped his face. He took off his glasses, polished them, picked up the letter and read;

They say, you can’t take it with you. I agree. You can’t. But that doesn’t mean you have to leave it behind. It’s all gone kids. Spent every damn penny, the car is leased, the reverse mortgage people get the house. Bye.

Complete and utter silence.

The lawyer put the letter back in the envelope, put the envelope in his briefcase and left the room. Such was the shock that nobody noticed.

The noise began. Everybody had something to say ... but nobody finished a sentence.

There was a lot of, But, what about... , and, Can she really... but mostly it was, Well, I never...

Fifteen minutes of uproar and the secretary entered the room, passed out certified copies of the “will” and escorted us out.

The wife and her sister accused each other of neglect. The older sister had to admit she was living on the left coast. The wife ... well ... she’s crazy ... gets a check for it ... she lost what little control she possessed and started smashing things. Things that didn’t belong to her.

Somebody called the cops ... wasn’t me ... I don’t have a cell. But the fight that ensued when they tried to arrest her ... well ... they did arrest her ... but it took four burly boys to do it ... and ... although ... they got ‘er done ... they were too damaged to let it go.

The judge didn’t hesitate. She’ll never get out. I got my divorce.

Belleville is coming to be a nice place to live.

When I’m here.