I may now be a widower.....

....But I’m still a stickler about my money.
I was before my wife died, which is why I own my house, my car, and am loaded.
No boats, no Corvettes, no RV campers. In our past we ended up saving instead. —We also had no kids to put through college.
I wasn’t about to borrow money, or lend it either.
If I ever meet my wife’s old college roommate, the first thing I’ll say isn’t “It’s good to see you,” but “you owe me $40.”
While I worked as a bus-driver, a fellow bus-driver wanted to borrow $100 off me. I refused “If there’s any way to ruin our friendship,” I told him; “it’s for me to lend you money.”
A few cars involved borrowing, but -a) my first was to establish a credit-rating for installment loans — I could have paid cash, and -b) was a home-equity loan to help buy a new car. I (we) eventually paid it off.
Our new house involved a mortgage, but that was only about one-third the value of the house.
That too was paid off. I own the house free-and-clear. I don’t owe anyone anything.
The other day, probably Monday, May 6th, I got a landline call from Alliance Security.
Firmly engage hand around wallet!
Why do I even get calls like this?
I think I’ve received at least six “last-chance” calls over a month to lower my credit-card interest-rate.
I don’t even borrow on my credit-card. I pay it off in full every month. Always have, always will! I know, that makes me a poor credit customer.
At least five minutes were wasted determining the source of the call. I thought he said “Lyons Securities.”
“Hi! I’m Pete from Alliance Security. I’m not a salesman. I won’t be trying to get you to buy anything.
Apparently someone from this address inquired about a security-system.”
“I’m the only one here!” I shouted; “And I never inquired about no security-system.”
Pete recited my landline number.
“Yes, that’s me,” I said; “but I’ve been the only one here for over a year. My wife died. It’s just me and my dog.”
By now Pete was frantically looking for a diplomatic exit. Instead of merrily handing over my wallet, I was giving him an argument.
“And the best security-system I’ve ever had,” I said; “has four legs and barks.”
“With all due respect, sir,” Pete said; “will your four-legged security-system dial 9-1-1 if you have a medical emergency?”
With that I hung up.
To me that’s a practiced sales-pitch. So much for not being a salesman.

• My beloved wife of over 44 years died of cancer April 17th, 2012. At the time she was 68. I miss her dearly. (I’m now 69.)
• For 16&1/2 years (1977-1993) I drove transit bus for Regional Transit Service (RTS) in Rochester, NY, a public employer, the transit-bus operator in Rochester and environs. My stroke October 26, 1993 ended that. I retired on medical-disability.