I am acquainted with a couple—formerly a couple (relax, Ake, the couple consisted of one man and one woman), but no longer, since the man passed away recently. They had been good friends for years. Let's call them Penny and Steven. Penny was in her late sixties, Steven was well into his eighties.

He had some descendants who were of the "they'll be glad when their old pa dies" school. They had never got along, largely because the kids (all grown up and old enough to know better) were constantly getting into financial difficulty and relying on Steven to bail them out. They were waiting for the substantial wad in money and property they knew their "old pa" had and which they assumed they would receive in due time.

But he hadn't made out a will yet, because he didn't feel the kids either need it or deserved it. So—keeping in mind that Washington is a community property state (unless otherwise arranged, on the death of one spouse, the other spouse inherits automatically), he asked Penny to marry him and she accepted. The main reason, they mentioned quietly, was that they enjoyed each other's company, and that was that. True, but also, Steven wanted to leave his worldly goods to Penny.

Much weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth among his descendants. But when Steven passed away recently, Penny was left, not rich, but well provided for for the rest of her life.

Did they have sex? I haven't a clue. Since she was well past menopause, there would certainly not have been offspring, nor did they want any. But that was completely incidental. They lived together for some years before he died, and assuming that they did have sex, there are those who would consider a woman in her seventies and a man approaching ninety having sex as "weird," if not downright disgusting.

I, personally, think it's kinda cute!

Now—under similar circumstances, why should couples Paul and Steven, or Penny and Stephanie, be denied the right to make similar arrangements?

Don Firth