When were you caught in a compromising situation
On my visits to Ohio, Dad always went to bed earlier than Mother, and she and I stayed up several more hours chatting.
One night, she said something that put me entirely off my guard. “I have no idea how much money we have. If your father dies before I do, I don’t know whether I’ll have enough to live on.”
Well, that certainly placed me in a compromising position. I wanted to put her mind at ease but had no idea how to go about it.
They were a close-knit couple, so her question shocked me. I stuttered out something to the effect, “I’m sure you don’t have to worry. Knowing Dad, he took care of that long ago.” But that didn’t clear up the frown on her face.
Mother and Dad in their late 60s.
You see, my parents were very “Old School”. Mother worked in the schools for about 40 years starting from the time I was 15, but always had summers off.
Dad took care of everything relating to money. He paid all the bills, invested money, took care of the banking. They were both very frugal people, which is why they had no problems with money.
Well, you know how adult siblings are. They “discuss” their parents in private. Dad was a very quiet man, but he and my brother had man talks, so I called him. My brother had no idea about their financial situation, but he’d find out. Soon after, my brother discussed the entire issue with Dad who apprised Mother of their financial situation and assured her she’d have no money worries if he predeceased her.
Of course, there was not a shred of doubt in Mother’s mind who instigated this investigation, but, knowing me as she did, I suspect that’s the reason she posed the question to me during one of our late-evening chats.
When were you caught in a compromising situation
On my visits to Ohio, Dad always went to bed earlier than Mother, and she and I stayed up several more hours chatting.
One night, she said something that put me entirely off my guard. “I have no idea how much money we have. If your father dies before I do, I don’t know whether I’ll have enough to live on.”
Well, that certainly placed me in a compromising position. I wanted to put her mind at ease but had no idea how to go about it.
They were a close-knit couple, so her question shocked me. I stuttered out something to the effect, “I’m sure you don’t have to worry. Knowing Dad, he took care of that long ago.” But that didn’t clear up the frown on her face.
Mother and Dad in their late 60s.
You see, my parents were very “Old School”. Mother worked in the schools for about 40 years starting from the time I was 15, but always had summers off.
Dad took care of everything relating to money. He paid all the bills, invested money, took care of the banking. They were both very frugal people, which is why they had no problems with money.
Well, you know how adult siblings are. They “discuss” their parents in private. Dad was a very quiet man, but he and my brother had man talks, so I called him. My brother had no idea about their financial situation, but he’d find out. Soon after, my brother discussed the entire issue with Dad who apprised Mother of their financial situation and assured her she’d have no money worries if he predeceased her.
Of course, there was not a shred of doubt in Mother’s mind who instigated this investigation, but, knowing me as she did, I suspect that’s the reason she posed the question to me during one of our late-evening chats.