Most of people in my neighborhood save up money for their own funeral expenses well before the last day in this world. There are two major funeral companies in this region, competing to get customers who could sign up such savings. Let me call them A and B. My father had paid for his own funeral to the company A, while he was still alive. After the funeral of my father, my mother started to pay monthly likewise. Her course was 36-Man’en(approximately 2,300USD), by paying 3000JPY every month, 120 times. She has already paid 70 times. Recently the company A said to me that they wanted to confirm her condition and to give her a birthday present. And today, one of their employees came to my home. I thought it was a good chance for me to start payment for my own funeral. Because I was satisfied the service they provided in my father’s funeral, and it was a little nuisance that the company B made phone calls to me often.
So, I signed today the 24-Man’en course, which is way cheaper than my mother’s. I just thought my funeral would not cost much because very few people will come to my funeral. My payment is 2000JPY, 120times. It continues ten years. I hope my funeral will happen after my payment has finished, but future is unknown. When it comes to predicting future, we Japanese think that “A devil will laugh at me”.
Agony or Fun?! Second Language Learning 