A very old man lay dying in his bed.
In death's doorway, he suddenly smelled the aroma of his favorite
chocolate chip cookie wafting up the stairs.
He gathered his remaining strength and lifted himself from the bed
Leaning against the wall, he slowly made his way out of the bedroom,
and with even greater effort forced himself down the stairs, gripping
the railing with both hands. With labored breath, he leaned against
the door frame, gazing into the kitchen. Were it not for death's
agony, he would have thought himself already in heaven.
There, spread out on newspapers on the kitchen table were literally
hundreds of his favorite chocolate chip cookies. Was it heaven? Or
was it one final act of heroic love from his devoted wife, seeing to
it that he left this world a happy man?
Mustering one great final effort, he threw himself toward the table.
The aged and withered hand, shaking, made its way to a cookie at the
edge of the table, when he was suddenly smacked with a spatula by his wife.
she said:
"Stay out of those,"
"They're for the funeral!"