Mr. D is a Quick Study

During my last visit to Alabama, I met with a collections attorney. The first thing that struck me was how young he was. If I had passed him on the street, I would not have figured he had been out of law school for six years with his own practice, but instead was just getting his driving permit.

Mr. D. was very nice and he and I hit it off immediately. Of course he asked me the standard question, "why Alabama." And, I gave him the much longer version of my pat answer, "Why indeed." The longer version includes boring things like the cost of the house to rent ratio and some other inane things of that nature.

Somewhere in our chat, Mr. D. then started telling me about his 1950s home he is remodeling. He is quite proud of his house. He bought low, in a great area. He has upgraded and remodeled. And, he naively declares, he will live there until the day he dies.

I didn't politely hold my tongue. I didn't even titter. No, I belted out laughter like I was in the audience of a Bill Engvall show (and in my defense, this was the day after I had run into Teresa and my tact hadn't returned).

"You aren't married are you?" I asked his puzzled face.

"No, why?"

I just smiled knowingly. "You won't be living there until the day you die." I then went on to explain how this will not be the case, unless he manages to hit the jackpot and his adoring future wife really doesn't mind the home he picked--without her--he can pretty much expect to be changing residences sometime in the first few years after he gets married. And, he will never hear the end of it until he does.

He considers this for a moment. "Well, I will make sure to let her decorate it any way she wants, that should make up for it." I just smiled, watching his expression change as he finally realized what he had just said. No, this would not be the only home he ever owns.

"Well," he finally said, "I am paying my house off early, so I will have a large down payment for the place she picks."