In keeping with the current series of interesting people who died this month, one should definitely note the passing of Sarkis Soghanalian, who, for the historically astute, was also known as the Merchant of Death. How he ever he managed to marry into the Hemingway family no doubt has provided endless sources of amusement at family gatherings.
If Thoreau had it right when he said, "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them" I somehow doubt he had this guy in mind. When children are asked in school what they want to be when they grow up, and they answer with mundanities like "astronaut, fireman, policeman, gangster rapper", I would spit at all of them except for the kid who says he wants to be "Sarkis Soghanalian"... and to the dismay of hopeful parents everywhere, with any luck, your son or daughter could grow up to be just like him.
I rather wish someone had suggested it to me when I was 10. (Though maybe, just maybe, it's never too late...)
Never ask children what they want to be...
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