There once lived a man who spent his entire life working hard and saving every dollar he earned. He was notoriously stingy, clinging to his money more tightly than anything else. As the end of his life drew near, he made a solemn request to his wife.
“Listen,” he said. “When I die, I want you to take all of my money and put it in the casket with me. I want to take my fortune with me into the afterlife.”
Reluctantly, his wife agreed, promising with all her heart that she would honor his wish.
Not long after, the man passed away. At the funeral, he lay dressed and ready in the casket, while his wife, dressed in black, sat quietly beside her best friend. Just as the undertakers were preparing to close the casket, she suddenly stood up and said, “Wait a moment!” Carrying a shoebox in her hands, she carefully placed it inside the casket before stepping back. The undertakers then sealed the coffin and wheeled it away.
A friend leaned over and whispered, “Surely you weren’t foolish enough to put all that money in there with him?”
The widow answered calmly, “Of course I did. I promised him, and I’m a Christian woman—I can’t break my word. I told him I would put every cent in the casket, and I did.”
Her friend looked at her in disbelief. “You mean to tell me you actually put his entire fortune in that coffin?”
With a little smile, she replied, “Yes, I gathered every penny, deposited it in my account… and wrote him a check.”