Legend of the Gilded Saber

by Sigmund Brouwer

  "Uncle Ted," Mike said, "you make it sound like you're going to die any day now."

  Ted smiled sadly. "I am."

  I remembered something that Devon had said earlier when we'd asked him about insurance on the garage fire. A lot of good insurance does a person who's going to die.

  I remembered what Ted had said barely a minute earlier. Yes. All of the rest of my life.

  As if he didn't have much time left.

  "Let me tell you guys something," Ted said. "And I hope you remember it as long as you live. Money and possessions mean nothing against the importance of your souls. I have everything a man could want. And even if I had billions, in the end, I would still die. So what is it worth? Nothing. The richest man in the world can't buy what matters. Love. And living life right. I didn't understand this until my doctor told me I have cancer. It's from all my years of smoking. You guys are smart to stay away from cigarettes."

  He allowed himself a smile. "It was about a year ago. I'm lucky. It's given me time to realize the important things in life. I have only a few months left, but I was able to change. Spend time with Devon. Go back to church. Place my faith in God. I'm sad, of course, but grateful I didn't die suddenly before I had a chance to figure out what was important."

  Another deep breath. "Like bringing you here. I wanted to meet you, Mike. You're my only nephew. It didn't matter to me how much your plane tickets cost. Or that it would cost more to pay for your friends. I've got much more than I can spend in this life anyway, and even if I was going to live for a long time, I'd want to spend it on others. In fact, Mike, I have arranged for a college scholarship for you."

  "A scholarship!" Mike's face broke into a wide grin. Then he must have realized Ted Emmett had made the arrangements because cancer had changed his life and his attitude. Mike's grin faded some.

  Ted continued. "And scholarships for your friends, Ricky and Lisa and Ralph. That wasn't my original plan, but without them, I would have lost my entire business and my reputation and any chance to provide for Devon after my death."

  Ted smiled at me. "So, thanks."

  I didn't know what to say. Here was a man who knew he was going to die any day. Should I tell him I'm sorry? Or that I'm glad I get a scholarship?

  Ted saved me the difficulty. "Both of you. Cheer up. I'm all right with what lies ahead. We all have to die, you know. Sometimes I think living is about learning to die well. And I've been given that chance."

  I nodded slowly.

  "Sir?"

  "Yes, Ricky."

  "I don't understand. Your real-estate development. Everyone says it's in trouble."

  "It is."

  He grinned at my confusion. "Short term, it's in big trouble. There are some huge payments due in about six months, and we haven't sold enough properties to cover those payments. But long term, it's in great shape, because it's a good investment and when the economy turns around, people will buy those properties."

  "But the short-term payments," Mike said. "I thought if you didn't make them that..."

  "Yes. I lose it all. Correction, my corporation loses it all. But you see, when Thomas and I went into the development, we took out what is called keyman life insurance. His death or mine would pay out all the mortgages because the bank is listed as the beneficiary. For him, my death was the perfect solution to our troubles. But he wanted more than just his half. Because a few months ago, I told him about my cancer."

  It hit me.

  "I think I understand," I said. "The business is worth next to nothing right now because of your debts. So Stang set all of this up to buy your half with hardly any money. He knew as soon as you died, the life insurance policy would make the business worth a lot more."

  "About ten million dollars more. You see, once the life insurance policy is in place, the keyman insurance pays out the mortgage even if I'm no longer owner. The policy was set up so that the beneficiary could not be changed."

  "Wow," Mike said.

  "Wow," I said.

  "And you know what's funny?" Ted asked.

  I wasn't sure I could see anything funny about this.

  "Now I get to buy the business off him at next to nothing. I can trigger the shotgun clause. And because he broke into the museum and did all that he did, he also broke the morality clause. His half of the business will become mine.

  When I die, the insurance will still pay out. I'll be able to set up even more charities and trust funds with all those millions."

  Mike and I didn't have a chance to reply.

  Lisa and Ralphy walked into the courtyard with a box of doughnuts.

  "Hey," Lisa said. "You're not going to believe the ridiculous thing that Ralphy tried to tell me about the history of Charleston and what Yankee soldiers shot from cannons."

  Mike stood. "I think I'll go get some glasses and milk for our doughnuts."

  "No," Lisa said. "Stay. That way you can explain to Ralphy where you got the crazy idea that the soldiers chopped up dead elephants and fired cooked meat at people."

  I stood. "That's right, Michael. You explain. I'll get the milk."

  Epilogue

  A week later, the four of us were back in Jamesville. I had met up with Ralphy and Mike in Mike's backyard, where the Andrews family had a swimming pool.

  "Hot," Mike said. He stood and stretched unnecessarily. The sun was baking us like we were steaks on a grill.

  "Yup," I said from a lawn chair. I tilted back a can of soda and sucked out the last few drops. I waved in Mike's direction. "As host, shouldn't you be looking for more of this?"

  Ralphy was nearby, dipping a toe into the water. Hot as it was, he hated the shock of the cold water. Ralphy always preferred to ease his way into the pool.

  "Sure," Mike said. "Just let me make a quick detour."

  He stepped in Ralphy's direction and shoved him into the pool. Ralphy landed headfirst and came up sputtering and yelling.

  Mike grinned. "Be right back."

  As Ralphy dog-paddled in the water, Mike moved to the back door.

  "Hey, who locked it?"

  I didn't answer, because Mike was already at the window of the kitchen that overlooked the backyard. "Mom!" he shouted. "Mom!"

  Mike came back to us.

  "She said she had to do some shopping. She's got a habit of locking all the doors when she leaves."

  "I'm thirsty," I said.

  "And I'm going to get you back," Ralphy said. "Somehow, sometime."

  "Right," Mike snorted. "In the meantime, I'll get some sodas."

  "Door's locked," I said in a helpful voice.

  "Doggie door isn't."

  Mike pointed at the pet door with a flap. "Last summer I got in and out all the time through there."

  "Mike..."

  Too late. He was already moving.

  Ralphy stayed in the pool, his hair slicked back and wet. I rubbed some sunscreen on my chest.

  Mike began to crawl through the pet flap.

  "Hey!" he yelled. But his voice was muffled because his head and shoulders were already through the pet door.

  "Be funny if he got stuck," I said to Ralphy. "Be pretty easy for you to figure out a way to get him back."

  "Hey!" Mike yelled again. "I'm stuck."

  I wandered over and talked to the back end of his bright orange swimming trunks. "Stuck?"

  "No kidding, Einstein."

  "Thought you did this all the time."

  "That was last summer." He grunted as he tried to wiggle loose. But his shoulders were through the opening and he couldn't back out. And his hips were too wide. "I don't understand. I must have grown since last summer."

  "Great," I said. "Now it looks like I'm going to have to go to the store to get some soda."

  "No!" he yelped. "You've got to do something."

  The phone rang. It was a cordless phone, back at the lawn chairs.

  "Be glad to help," I said. "I'll answer the phone."

  "Hey!" Mike yelled again. "Come back here!"

  "H
ello?" I said. "Andrews residence."

  I recognized the voice right away. "Devon! Good to hear from you. Everything going great?"

  "You bet," he answered from Charleston. "Any chance of speaking to Mike?"

  I swiveled. Mike had made no progress. From this end, all we could see were his bright orange swimming trunks and his legs, kicking slightly.

  "He might have to call you back," I answered Devon.

  "I'm just stepping out," he said. "Could you give him some news and tell him to call me tonight?"

  "Sure."

  Devon spoke and I listened for a few minutes. Then I said good-bye and hung up.

  I wandered over to Mike.

  "How you doing?" I asked.

  "Very funny," his muffled voice answered. "I'm still stuck."

  I told him that Devon had just called.

  "He's got great news," I explained. "Your uncle Ted is doing much better. The doctors think that since he's a lot less stressed out now, his body is able to fight the cancer better."

  "Good," Mike said.

  "And Devon and Samantha are engaged," I continued. "He proposed to her last night."

  "Yuck," Mike said.

  "They want all of us to go back out to Charleston for the wedding," I finished. "Probably around Christmastime."

  I pushed Mike a little with my foot. "Of course, you might still be stuck in the door by then."

  "Very funny," he said.

  Ralphy reached me, dripping wet from the pool. Some of the water fell on Mike's back.

  "Hey!" Mike yelled. "Cut that out!"

  I grinned at Ralphy. I pointed at the nearby garden hose and made a motion with my hand for him to turn it on and spray Mike.

  "Come on," Mike pleaded. "Do something."

  Ralphy was already running for the hose.

  "Sure," I said. "We'll do something. Right away."