My Longkang

This distinguished gentleman, Mr Melancholy looked at us with a straight gaze and announced, “Men die at 74 and women die at 78. I am 69 years old so I have 5 more years to live.” This sudden pronouncement took us all by surprise. The situation was getting tense. How to react to the sudden change in atmosphere?

We then told him to spend more, travel around the world etc etc. as we know he has millions. He said,” No, I can’t do that because my money is all in the name of the company and tied up in investments.”

“Look, age is just a number. You will probably live like me to a very ripe old age. After that we will be survived by our many children and grandchildren,” one of a similar generation tried to cheer him up. “No, we will die at 74,” insisted Mr Melancholy.

Mr Straightforward then challenged Mr Melancholy, ” Do you think life is more precious than all the money in the world? We all make a bet. We leave double share of money to a neutral party and you pay single share. Our money will be given to your heirs if you die at 74, but if you live beyond 74, every year you pay us double what we chip in and more money for every birthday you survive after that.”

Suddenly, Mr Money-bags cum Melancholy woke-up. “What if I live beyond 74? I will lose big.” Suddenly he was all alive and spirited again. We were so glad. Money never fails to lengthen a Foochow’s life or his spirits hahahahha. All thoughts of death wafted into the air as if they had never been.

He had probably read the statistics somewhere and had been affected by it.