Life and Death

It was about this time last year that my then-six-year-old son's pet rat died after we had him just a few weeks, and I've never found out why. He had a respiratory problem before we got him, that may have been it. My son found him and was trying to "fix" him after he apparently died.

When I asked my son how the rat died, he thought a minute before answering.

"He died from not being alive," he replied.

Yeah, that'll do it every time. Whoever finds a way to lick this problem and patents it will probably make a fortune.

Me, I've learned to be careful around this subject. In mid-2002 I was diagnosed with cancer (since successful treated). I vowed then that I would never leave this world until the San Francisco Giants won the World Series.

Three months later the Giants won Game One of the 2002 Series. I politely asked whoever wherever might have overheard my earlier vow to please reconsider.