It was obvious that the man in the bed was not long for this world.
The dying man had, in his time, been very wealthy, but had managed to spend well until nearly all of his fortune was gone. His wife had already passed away, leaving only one son, who was now a young man in his early twenties. Several friends and relations were gathered around the bed. The manner house was a large, rambling building in extensive grounds. This in itself would constitute the bulk of any legacy. The son, it had to be said, had never made much of himself, living on a small allowance and doing very little. He was generally regarded as a wastrel.
The doctor in attendance shook his head and the visitors began mumbling, with some of the women sobbing and blowing their noses. The father’s withered hand came up and beckoned to the son. With more hand gestures he had him bend with his ear close to his lips. The old man whispered something… then, he let out one final breath.
As time went on the son never spoke of it. Others never asked about the nature of the old man’s last words, no doubt respecting the privacy of it. However, the son did move on in his life with great speed following the funeral. He bequeathed the property and the bulk of funds that remained to a local hospital, to be used for the rehabilitation of patients. Remaining in his humble bedsit, he began studying and giving his time as a volunteer to several worthy causes. Within a few short years he qualified as an accountant and set up a practice. This was followed by a series of business ventures that, not unlike his father, proved to be highly successful and created considerable personal wealth.
He married late and had two children, a boy and a girl. His business empire became vast, but with an ever growing element of giving to charities. This ongoing philanthropy, again not dissimilar to his father’s lifestyle, left less and less for his immediate family. When his wife died he became even more aware of how he had paralleled the life’s journey travelled by his father. It was for this reason that he began planning ahead, for some future date when he would relinquish his responsibilities and hand all business matters over to his son.
Eventually, he found himself well into old age, lying in bed in his family home. His two children were in attendance, along with friends and relations. The doctor, having visited earlier, had left saying that it was now only a matter of time.
The son, having only ever shown scant interest in the business affairs of his father, but knowing full well the story of how his grandfather had died, waited with some impatience and certainly a degree of excitement, for his father to call him over, which in due course he did.
Following the command to approach, he bent over his father and listened to what was whispered…