The story begins with a man whose greatest desire was to know what the stock market would do over the next 30 days. Armed with that information, he figured he could invest enough money to be set for the rest of his life. With that kind of security, he would have the freedom to do as he wanted, even to develop an interest in religion and God, if such was his desire. According to the story, on November 1st, the man found a copy of the New York Times on his doorstep – a copy of the Times dated December 1st. The man ripped into the investment page. With pen and paper, computer and calculator, he finished an exhausting morning. By one o’clock, he had made his choices. He knew what stock he was going to buy and what he would sell. Desiring to keep the paper safe, he gently folded it. As he did, his eyes settled, for a second, upon the Obituary Pages. He couldn’t stop himself. He looked. He read. He reread. He froze. Do I need to tell you his name was listed? He had less than 30 days to live.
