Saturday, March 14^th, 2020

Uncertainty

I was surprised to see Jill, Jack’s widow, at the AA meeting. She said she wanted to talk to some of his friends.

“Jack took out a life insurance policy,” Jill said. “About three months ago – near the time he relapsed. Do you think he was planning to OD?”

“It was the embolism that killed him,” I said. “He didn’t plan that.”

“Technicality,” she said, choking up. “The insurance company can’t call it a suicide, but was it?”

I wanted to say absolutely not, but we both knew I couldn’t be certain.  They called addiction ‘suicide on the installment plan’ for a reason. People recovering from heroin addiction had told me not all ODs were accidental.

“I don’t know for sure, but I don’t think so,” I said, wishing I could be more certain, more reassuring.

“I don’t know either,” Jill said, wiping her tears. “I have to accept not knowing, and move on. Won’t be easy.”

Today I will accept life can be uncertain.

2020 Vision ©2017 & 2018 by Ken Montrose

2020 Vision is a work of fiction. Any similarity between the characters and anyone you might know is purely coincidental.

Other works by Ken Montrose are available at: www.greenbriartraining.com https://www.pinterest.com/kenmontrose/mt-rose/