A Tale of Two Men

The Rich Man

Once lived a rich man who was an incredibly successful businessman. He worked hard, long hours that kept him busy at the office from the start of each day until the sun disappeared. Many men were envious of his tremendous financial success — and tremendous it was. The rich man married a couple of times — both to very beautiful women — and eventually both were defeated by his unequaled devotion to his work, which brought with it unprecedented wealth, fame, and power — his first and only true love. The rich man’s name was known by others from coasts West to East. Blessed with beautiful children he loved very much, the rich man didn’t spend much time with them due to more demanding commitments. The children all grew to make fine, apt business magnates for themselves and fulfilled hopes beyond their father’s greatest expectations.

Prepared and honorable, the rich man ensured his ex-wives and children would be taken care of financially once the time came for his life to end. As years passed by, the rich man grew ill with age as all men with fortune of long life inevitably do. His only burial request was for a large cemetery plot to be fashioned with the magnificent granite and marble structure he had designed with some of the world’s top artists and architects for his final place of rest. A beautiful work of art, indeed. The rich man’s bones and flesh laid in peace for years as cemetery guests marveled in awe at the wondrous god-like resting place that not one of them would be able to afford when their own time came to pass on. A significant sum…