Steve - Bear in mind that "very quickly" is a relative term. 'Very quickly' now is milliseconds; two centuries ago, 6 months might not be "very quickly", depending on the to & from, eh? ;-)

I quibble with Mo as much as you do. What jars for me is "a common problem". Is it? Most cultures tend to revere their elders, not dispose of them. So "Half a Blanket" is an odd tale on more than one level. I've given the example; I'm not scholar enough to be able to give any further clues. All I can do is invite you to enjoy the untrammelled space...

Which is just what a story is for. Isn't it? ;-)