The Guadalajara Reporter

Knocking on heaven’s door: Folks here of a certain age are wise to make a resolution to put their affairs in order

Morey Leonard lived alone. He was a quiet man of 75 who dealt with his five-year bout with illness in a private way. No complaints to friends or acquaintances. His kitchen and refrigerator were stocked with nourishing stuff. No junk-food, no high cholesterol or high sugar-foods. No booze – unlike earlier times, times that were now catching up with him. His maid found him on the living room floor unconscious when she made her regular Tuesday cleaning-day round. She immediately called the Red Cross.

Perhaps Leonard hadn’t been the ideal husband or father; perhaps he had. His mail indicated that both could be true. But he was smart. He was making notes on Albert Camus’ now classic existentialist novel, “The Stranger,” open on his bedside side table. And he’d begun a comprehensive list of things to be done to settle his affairs in case his health worsened.

Leonard was a bit too late in finishing both projects. When he died three days after being found, Leonard was two-thirds of the way through “Stranger” and about half-way through organizing a comprehensive list aimed at pulling his affairs in order. These appeared to also be aimed at shielding his heirs from the Mexican government and legal entanglements. This latter can be more difficult than most foreigners image.

Leonard´s notes on this were mostly outlined in a succinct list, which he began with admonitions to a Mexican will (in Spanish), with someone identified (with telephone, address email) as beneficiary. Details of this and similar notes were discussed in this space last week (Reporter, January 7). There are several other matters in this category and they are important.

If you own your home or any other real estate, a copy of your last annual real estate tax (predial), last water bill to SIMAPA and last telephone bill are needed.

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