"We" was my late best friend's daughter, whom I love, and myself doing yet another round of paper work. I've been kidding that I supply the mouth with the French words while she does the English.
The amount of money in the bank is miniscule, but they can't release it without knowing the funeral home was paid. That and enough other paperwork to kill a medium-sized forest full of trees.
For expediency, I'd written a check for the full amount for all the funeral expenses. Compared to costs in Switzerland and the US it too was also miniscule. It's what you do for family of choice when you can and I had no worries that it would be returned when it could be (and it has been). Even if it hadn't been it would have been the right thing to do for such a dear friend's family.
However, the bank manager was confused that my name was on the paid bill which had been faxed through by the funeral home.
"Are you a daughter?" he asked.
"No."
"Another relative?"
"No."
His mouth fell open. He moved forward in his seat. He stared at me.
"WHY would you do THAT?" he asked. His tone was the same as if I had decided to burn thousands and thousands of euros after being released from a psychiatric ward.
"Because I'm a wonderful woman, and she was my friend," I said. I was joking about the wonderful woman not about the friend part.
That his comment was inappropriate was one thing. For another it says a lot about his character and relationships.
I can't imagine that he would ever go out of his way for a friend or maybe it's worse. He doesn't have any friendships that go deep enough where helping one another out is normal.
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