avarice

lured by the exhibited freebie in the window, our entire family migrates hopefully into the bowels of the bank. many hours later, and two teenagers less, HOM and I emerge with new accounts and the promise that the freebies will soon be ours (one red and one green, like a christmas tree).

but the bank officer! he of the spiked up hair and wet skin behind his ears! he of the rapidly automatic speech and glib salesmanship! he needs to learn to discuss financial risk and potential loss without touching wood in every other sentence. it is terribly unprofessional to be invoking animistic protection during a financial counseling session.

but i learn something interesting: it is permissible to commit suicide from the second year onwards after one buys a life insurance policy.