The Game You Want To Lose

To my son Tommy,

Your Grandpa Leo recently was touting the simple pleasures of life. This morning was the first time he could wash his head since the brain surgery. He said it felt amazing and went on and on about how he missed it so. He was gentle and timid at the washing, but even the little he did brought him such great enjoyment. But not all of his pleasures are as simple and innocent.

Your Grandpa Leo has a couple life insurance policies. One is a whole life with the Knights of Columbus and one is a term life with the military that lasts to age seventy five. He recently, before all this started to happen, considered cancelling the term life policy. Of course now he isn't cancelling it. He looked at me the other day and said, "I feel like calling up these insurance companies and saying 'YOU LOSE #$%^ers!'" I was a bit stunned at first and there was nothing I could say or do but join in his crazy laughter. It is a perverse pleasure as you stare at death's door to know that you "won" at the life insurance game. Definitely not politically correct humor but no one ever accused the Downeys of being very PC. We will take the laughs where we can, especially right now, thank you very much.

Here is hoping that your grandad turns out to be wrong and he lives another nine plus years and ends up "losing" the life insurance game. Here is hoping that all our friends and family end up "losing" this game the right way (through longevity) as well. And finally, here is hoping that all of us can learn to laugh in the face of death the way your Grandpa Leo can.

Sincerely with love from your dad,
Leo