The Walking Dead

I was struck by an article I read yesterday.

And the headline — "Cannot afford to die"

At first, I thought it was about the difficulties of living, how the poor struggles to make ends meet.

I realized later that it was talking about the cost of dying, the charges on funeral services and burial plots.

*******

Living these days is making us nervous.

The cost of living has gone up tremendously.

But salaries have stayed the same.

And we seldom hear about salary reviews anymore.

Houses are getting more expensive.

Fuel hikes have all contributed to the thinning of the wallet.

More and more people depend on public transports.

The cost of groceries and supplies has increased.

The cost of health care and education has risen dramatically.

Even the electric and water charges have gone up.

Many don’t eat out anymore.

Many don’t travel far.

Many have worked double or triple shifts.

Everyone is feeling the pinch.

Everyone is feeling the strain.

Some get less left over every month.

Others struggle to make ends meet.

And that is what they call "civilization",

The cost of living in a modern and competitive world.

*******

Now they are talking about the cost of dying.

I thought when you can’t afford to live, you can afford to die.

Now they are telling us that we can’t just die.

There is also the cost of dying!

The poor and the have-not look up to heaven and cry!

There is now the cost of dying!

Now that is another misery,

The ever piling misery of the walking dead.