Michael didn’t like dogs and dogs didn’t like Michael. He thought they were a waste of money and a health hazard. He didn’t really like any animals. His father had bought him a puppy when he was seven years old and it turned out to be a traumatic experience for everyone concerned. The dog chased Michael at every opportunity and bit him on a number of occasions in the short period of their tumultuous relationship. The memory of the dog running behind, jumping with fangs bared and attaching itself to his little backside still haunted him. Who would have thought that this common animosity between him and canines would become such a pivotal factor in Michael’s life?
He sat quietly at his father’s bedside leaning forward with hands clasped and an elbow on each knee. “Is the chemo working at all Dad?” Michael asked.
“No, not doing much good, just making me feel crook.”
Michael’s Dad had been unwell for over a year and he needed home nursing for most of that period. With no wife to help him, he was now in hospital with a prognosis that gave little hope.
“You need to hang in there Dad, you’ll come good,” Michael said.
“Sure, I’ll be right.”
He pushed himself up in the bed so he could look squarely at Michael. “I had a visit from your Uncle Tommy yesterday,” he said. “He told me some interesting things.”
“Yeah, what?”
“Well, as you know, Tommy is a little on the eccentric side and lives alone with just that dog of his. His visit wasn’t just to see how I was going. I thought it was a bit strange, but the first thing he asked me was how you and Jillian were going financially.”
“Why did he want to know that?” Michael asked.
“I told him that you were good. You know, both with good jobs, you in accounting and Jillian doing jewellery. Then he told me that in the current circumstances, it was sensible for him to change his will to take me out of being his sole beneficiary... what with me being unlikely to be around much longer and him being in reasonable health, even though he’s nine years older than me.”
“Hang on a minute, let me get this straight. As it stands now you’re the only one in his will. So what happens if you go before Uncle Tommy?” Michael asked.
“The estate would go to you because you are my sole beneficiary. But now, because I told him you and Jillian are pretty well off, he is making other plans.”
Michaels Dad had a quizzical look, “You are well off, aren’t you?” he asked.
“I know I said I was in accounting Dad, but it is probably more accurate to say, just counting. I do stocktaking at the company warehouse. And yes, Jillian is in jewellery. She makes earrings from clay and sells them at the craft markets every second weekend,” Michael explained.
“So you are not well off,” he said with a pained expression on his pale face.
“We are doing ok Dad, but I wish you hadn’t said that to Uncle Tommy. So what is he going to do with his money now then?” Michael asked.
“He said he was planning to leave his housekeeper a small amount to look after his dog and the rest to charity,” he replied.
“Don’t worry about it Dad. Uncle Tommy probably doesn’t have much other than that little unit he lives in at the coast. So it’s no big deal,” Michael said.
Michael’s Dad swallowed hard, “Um, before he left, Tommy told me that cancer research would be his charity of choice considering my situation. He reckoned the four million dollars he had made with his investments would make a difference.”
Michael’s head lolled back, and his eyes rolled.
Michael drove out of the hospital car park and cursed the cost of parking. He didn’t remember anything of the drive home. The thought of missing out on Uncle Tommy’s money was consuming him. When Michael arrived home he relayed the information from his Dad. Jillian became quite agitated.
“What, he told him we were well off. You’re kidding,” she seethed.
“We’re not poor though,” Michael said.
“And we’re not bloody rich, that’s for sure. You have to find a way to let your Uncle know we need that money. We deserve it.”
“He’s old, what if he died before he had time to change the will?” she asked expectantly.
“That’s not going to happen, he’s not sick.”
“Maybe you could somehow facilitate his passing away,” she said quietly.
“What! Facilitate passing away. How the hell would I do that? That’s bloody murder you’re suggesting Jillian,” he said through clenched teeth.
“Ok, Ok, I didn’t really mean it... Well, you’ll have to go and visit him and persuade him that we need the money. We are his family and you don’t give money to charity when you have a needy family,” she said.
“I think you’re right. But I can’t just go and beg for money. I’ll have to be more subtle and get him to change his mind to leave the will as is. You know I have never even been to his place. He lives at the coast and that’s a couple of hours away. Firstly we have to work out a reason for me going.”
They both sat silently, pondering why Michael would make a first time ever visit to his Uncle Tommy at the coast.
The not unexpected death of his father was distressing for Michael but it did provide an opportunity. Michael’s Dad was not a religious man. In fact, anti-religious was a more accurate label. He was convinced that religion caused most of the problems in the world and he wanted no part of it. Accordingly, the funeral was a very small affair at the Albany Creek Crematorium. Michael made sure he connected with his Uncle Tommy at the ceremony and they agreed that they should each other more often. They were, after all, the last of their family line.
The drive to the coast was pleasant enough. It gave Michael time to think. Jillian had decided that it was better if she did not go. It would be more awkward for them to discuss family money issues with her in the room.
Michael found the street address without any trouble. The building was only two streets from the beach and he liked the look of it. It seemed to be about eight levels and was not one of the typical high rises in the area. There was a lush garden at the entrance that gave a cool tropical feel. He made his way to the elevator and to level three, unit thirty-two. He stood at the door and knocked twice. Instantly he heard a yapping bark erupting inside. He heard a voice shout.”Hung, get here, Hung.” The door opened and Tommy was standing there with a small growling white scraggy looking dog in his arms.
“Hi Uncle Tommy,” he said.
“Michael, come in, good to see you. Glad you could come,” Tommy was not a big man. Slightly stooped, tanned weathered skin and with only the back and sides remaining of his snow-white hair, he was looking his age.
“Your dog’s name is Hung?” Michael asked.
“Yes, it’s a Chinese name, means courageous. He’s a Shih-tzu.”
Michael raised his hand to pat the head of the dog in Tommy’s arms. But thought better of it when he heard a low growl and saw it curl its’ little black lips exposing pointy little Shih Tzu teeth.
He wandered into the lounge room and had a quick gaze around the unit. The cane furniture suited the tropical feel of the place. Looking out the double sliding door you could see ocean between the other buildings. “Wow! I really like your place.”
“Thanks, it’s not big but it’s modern, comfortable and it suits me.”
“Looks like you have plenty of interesting mementos from your travels,” Michael said as walked towards the shelving covering one wall. The various artifacts in Tommy’s collection were displayed on the shelves. Michael peered closely at a small clear glass jar with a screw top silver lid. What appeared to be two peeled lychees were in the jar in a clear liquid.
“What’s this one,” he asked.
“Oh, that’s Hung’s balls,” he said.
“What?” Michael turned toward him with a stunned look.
“Hung’s testicles - the vet gave them to me when I got him fixed and I haven’t had the heart to throw them out,” Tommy said with a smile.
He certainly is Eccentric, Michael thought.
“Would you like a coffee or tea,” Tommy asked.
“Water would be great thanks.”
Tommy filled two glasses of water, put them on the coffee table and sat opposite Michael. The dog immediately jumped onto Tommy’s lap, looked at Michael and gave a low growl. “Don’t mind Hung, he just needs to get to know you better.”
Michael smiled. He thought it was ironic that such a small dog without testicles would be called Hung. He knew as soon as he saw Hung that they would never be getting to know each other better.
“You like dogs?” Tommy asked.
“Yes, I love dogs. We haven’t got one because of the unit we live in. They don’t allow animals,” he lied.
Tommy scratched under Hung’s ear “Good - you can’t trust a man who doesn’t like dogs, I always say.”
“If we ever get enough money to buy a house I will be getting one straight away,” he lied again.
“You can’t afford a house? Your Dad told me that you and Jillian were doing really well,” Tommy said.
“We didn’t want him to worry about us. He felt ashamed that he had nothing left after all his health expenses. So we couldn’t tell him the truth about our situation. Now it even looks like I will be losing my job due to company downsizing,” he said lowering his gaze. “We wanted to start a family. But that’s not possible now,” he found lying easy now.
“I didn’t realise that Michael. I thought you were well set financially. I can lend you some cash if you need it.”
“Thanks Uncle Tommy but short term cash is not really the problem. We just can’t see anything for us in the future,” he said with a sullen look on his face. Hung growled again. Michael looked at the dog staring at him with those beady black Shih-tzu eyes and thought Bastard dog.
“Michael I can help you. I am so very glad you came today and explained things. It changes some important decisions for me regarding my estate. You know I am getting on a bit now. I am not as sharp as I used to be and I’m getting a bit tired of it all. I have had a pretty good life for a bloke who couldn’t catch a woman. Maybe that’s why it’s been good,” he added. “I probably don’t have that much time left so it’s important that I get my affairs in order now.”
“I don’t have to change anything because of me, Uncle Tommy,” Michael said hoping he wasn’t convincing.
“Oh yes, I do Michael. Family is important. Now let’s talk about some other things. Is your mother still married to that retired dentist?”
The drive home was even more pleasant than the one down. The smile on Michael’s face seemed to be permanent. He was so very pleased with himself. It was late afternoon and Jillian was sitting at the table reading a magazine when Michael arrived home.
He closed the front door behind him and walked in. Jillian turned towards him, “Well - how did you go?”
“Oh Babe, we are in like Flynn, just a matter of time.”
Jillian knew it must have gone very well. He never called her Babe.
Michael was stunned at how quickly events overtook his life. It had been barely a month since he had been to his Uncle’s unit when he received the phone call. Uncle Tommy had slipped on some dog feces in his bathroom. Hit his head on the bathroom floor and died of a heart attack. It was unbelievable that this had happened. Michael thought about the cause of death, “Slipped on Shih Tzu shit,” he giggled to himself.
He felt sorry for poor Uncle Tommy but he was also so pleased he went to see him when he did. Michael got the advice that the reading of the will was to be next Monday morning.
They arrived early and sat in the Lawyers waiting room. They had chatted excitedly all the way in the car and were feeling relaxed.
“Peter is ready to see you now,” the assistant said. She opened his office door and they went in. Peter Mason, who was Tommy’s lawyer, smiled.
“Hi Jillian - Michael,” he shook their hands. “Please have a seat,” he motioned towards the two chairs in front of his desk.
“We are here for your Uncle Tommy’s will, Michael, and he has left a letter for me to read to you. So I am going to do that first up.”
He picked up an unsealed letter from his desk and opened it. “It is addressed to you Michael and reads as follows. – ‘Michael, if my Lawyer is reading this letter to you now it means I am dead. I wrote this letter directly after you came to see me in October. Your visit had a great impact on me as you probably noticed at the time. Before you came to see me you might be surprised to know I had decided against changing my will. This would have meant that you would have been sole beneficiary and received all of my estate apart from some money to look after Hung.
After your visit, you must have thought I was silly enough to believe all that bullshit that you spun me that day. Like I have said Michael “You can’t trust a man that doesn’t like dogs”. You didn’t like Hung and he knew it.
Well, Michael, you wanted me to change my will so I did. My Estate will now be split two ways, one half to my housekeeper Beverly, who loves Hung, and a half to Cancer Research.
However Michael, you are family and I have left you something to remind you how bloody obvious it was to me and Hung, that you were trying to con me.’”
The Lawyer reached into the top desk-draw and removed the glass jar. He placed the dog’s balls on the desk in front of Michael.