I'm rich

“Are you preplanned?”

“Excuse me?”

“Hello, ma’am. I’m Rich. Are you preplanned?”

It’s health fair day at the mall and I quickly glance at the gentleman and his booth – a local funeral home. “Yes, I’m preplanned,” I reply.

“Good for you. Women are always better at that than men. Women think ahead but generally men don’t.”

“I don’t know about that, but I’m taken care of. Thank you,” I say as I start to move along. (This is just one of a billion advantages of belonging to a religious congregation.)

Rich persists. “Was it hard to convince your husband?”

“My husband? No, not at all. My husband encouraged me long before I thought about preplanning. He’s in the business of preplanning.” (That’s true, isn’t it? The Bride of Christ image looms large.)

“Well, you’re ahead of most everyone else. If you ever need our services, here’s my card. Just call. I’m Rich.”

“Thanks, Rich.  And I’m rich, too.”

[Sr. Nancy Linenkugel is a Sylvania Franciscan sister and chair of the department of Health Services Administration at Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio.]