Mark, you take me back to a conversation with my dad around the time he went into assisted-living. The staff suggested he document his end-of-life wishes. He couldn’t; it was too unsettling. Instead, being a down-to-earth Pennsylvania Dutchman, he talked ‘em over with me one afternoon, casually, over coffee. His comments sorta follow along with yours. He said that when he couldn’t bust out laughing at a dumbass joke, that’ll do it. No more interventions, just make him comfortable and let Nature do the rest.

Don’t let this bother you. I bring it up simply because it’s remarkable that you and he had somewhat the same thoughts. Indeed, I wish I could have shown him this piece back when he had such trouble considering his end-of-life wishes. It would have given him the words he needed to start the discussion he had to have with me.

Crimeny Mark! Just look at where your writing took me! I dunno: you may actually be good at this writing thing.