Overheard at Dizzy's

Saturday night after climbing we went to Dizzy Issie's, the only place I am happy eating a hamburger, and my favorite bar in Baltimore. Next to us were a pair of old dudes, spry enough, somewhat hale, perhaps not as hearty as they once had been. Late 70's, early 80s maybe. They were discussing finances, the way you or I would discuss setting up a 401k or which mutual fund might give the best return. Only their conversation was this:

"I heard this thing the other day, when you die it's really hard for your relatives to get at your money. So what you do is, see, you make it a joint account with one a' them. That way it's in both your names and when you die they take care of it."
"That's good, you gonna do it? You should get your brother to do that."

...conversation about getting plots in the cemetery....insurance...and the recurring motif of the conversation, stated so matter-of-factly it broke my heart:

"See, what I'm doin' is preparing to die. I'm just getting my stuff in order is what."
"That's right, that's right. It's good to plan ahead! You want one a' these wraps here? They're pretty good. Got corn beef in 'em."

It was one of those special Dizzy's moments, not unlike the night I met the guy with the Colnago.