An Inconspicuously Worn Glove

An Inconspicuously Worn Glove

The gathering in Grandpa Michael’s house was masked as one of remembrance.  His family despised the old man and his death was marked with unpronounced celebration.  To add upon the occasion of Michael’s death, the cabinet, which held a large portion of his wealth in the form of rare gold coins, had been robbed the night before.  No culprit could be found.

Grandpa Michael had an industrious nature that brought him great success in life.  He had studied diligently in high school and had received a scholarship to Harvard.  It was not theirs to take, yet his family regarded his wealth as their own.

When Grandpa Michael was in his early thirties he married.  His son came a year after and his daughter followed two years later.

Grandpa Michael’s two brothers did not bother going to college and also held him in disdain for his success.  The jealousy among all his family members evolved into hatred as their own slothfulness became second nature. 

Grandpa Michael shared his wealth graciously with his family.  He offered them work, yet they all refused.  His family spent money lavishly from Grandpa’s Michael’s income only to demand more.

Grandpa Michael had extended work for his younger brother, Jamison; it would be enough to support a very comfortable living.  At this young age, Michael was eager to share his success with his family.  He offered Jamison a free-ride to college.  Michael stated to Jamison one day, “I can send you to any college around the country that you may like.  I want you to come work for me after you graduate.” 

As generous as Grandpa Michael was with this proposal, Jamison, like the rest of the family, chose not to work and to, instead, live off the money open-handedly shared by Michael.

As the years passed and Grandpa Michael’s wealth grew the disdain and jealousy his family felt for Michael turned to hatred.  They all felt that they were entitled to Michael’s wealth and at the same time hated his industrious nature.

Sitting in his business office one week after his death, Grandpa Michael’s family’s greed for his wealth was to meet its consummation.   

The night before the reading of Grandpa Michael’s will, the cabinet in which he stored much of wealth had been robbed. His family irritably accepted this development knowing that the riches betrothed upon them from Grandpa Michael’s death would still be extravagant.

The mystery of the theft remained unsolved, yet they all wished it had been them who had committed the burglary.  They sat in his office; the entirety of Grandpa Michael’s family along with his wife.  She also held him in contempt, but always had intended to spend every last cent of the old man’s fortune.  It was only she who knew the extent of the fortune contained in the collection of gold coins.

The will was to be read.  Grandpa’s Michael’s attorney opened the sealed envelope.

The glass of the cabinet was broken and a few drops of blood lay on the floor.  As the will was being read, his family sat staring at the drops of blood on the floor next to the cabinet.   

The attorney began reading his will.

It began, “I leave to my brother Tom - nothing, to my brother, Jamison - nothing, to my son and daughter -

nothing, to my grandchild - nothing.  Finally, I will bequeath the rest of my wealth to predetermined charities of my choice.  My wife, Kathryn, will also receive - nothing.”

His family walked away from the room.  The broken cabinet with the stolen coins had not been left unnoticed and every last one wished they had been the one with the initiative to steal them.  Their hatred for Grandpa Michael, who they always referred to as, “that greedy old man,” grew with their exclusion from the will.  Their longing for the old man’s wealth was thought to be realized with the celebration of his death.

Kathryn, his young wife of recent years, walked away from the office concealing a smile.  She wore an inconspicuously fashioned glove on her right hand covering up the scrapes and cuts from the robbery the night before.

“What’s next,” Kathryn thought to herself.  “The Bahamas? No, The Cayman Islands.”