A/N: "…and on it, plundered and bereft, unwatched, unwept, uncared for, was the body of this man…He lay, in the dark empty house, with not a man, a woman, or a child, to say that he was kind to me in this or that, and for the memory of one kind word I will be kind to him." (Dickens, 87)

Theme: Legacy after Death

Scrooge, in the fourth stave, finds himself late to his own funeral, so to speak. In observing the behavior of those he knew, he finds that his death is not mourned or regretted by anyone. Because he failed to live a good life in the eyes of those around him, his death had no meaning. In the same way, perhaps, his life had no meaning. This is terrifying to him, that he has nothing but death to look forward to in the future if he does not change, and that everything he ever cared about was ultimately futile. This would not be nearly as effective if he had not just seen, in the past and present, that his life could yet have meaning, and that the meaning would come from his interactions with others. Seeing a future in which he has no one else to even remember him kindly drives home the point all three spirits have been making.

The London Business Enquirer December 25, 1843

Obituaries:

There is only one obituary to share today, as no other businessman had the gall to die on the eve of their most prized holiday of the year. Even those on their deathbeds have done well to postpone the inevitable until at least the undertaker is not otherwise employed at home with his family in a much happier occupation. However, one businessman of note has taken, shall we say, a holiday from this holiday, leading some to remark that this particular man would perhaps rather die than miss a day's salary.

The man referred to is, of course, the infamous Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge, lately of the Scrooge and Marley firm, Mr. Marley being rather less lately thereof. The writer, in a valiant effort to retain his impartial journalist's voice, will refrain from any personal comments on Mr. Scrooge's personality or character, lest the reader think that Mr. Scrooge was generally disliked. In fact, in the interest of neutrality, it will not be at all implied that Mr. Scrooge was at all covetous, greedy, or hateful, even by the standards of eminent businessmen. Far be it from this publication's rights to intimate any such accusations.

It will, however, be said that Mr. Scrooge, in his lifetime, was a very successful businessman with ever a care to his own fortune. It is not to be argued that he was a self-made, or at least a self-centered, man, who never took anything except what was owed him plus interest, fees, and late penalties. Many in the businesses next to his remember fondly his trips to 'Change on which he would leave a store and return upon finding he had been short-changed by a ha'penny. Such a remarkable mind for figures and finance! And very capable of mental calculation; why, most who knew him say they never met a man to match his calculating nature.

His shrewdness in business dealing was not to be matched, however, by his integrity and reliability. Each of his tenants emphatically declares Scrooge to be the most trustworthy and predictable landlord they had ever had; if they had so much as lapsed one day in their monthly payments, Scrooge, as sure as clockwork, would have them on the streets in a timely and efficient manner. And all may remember the year in which the orphanage could not pay the rent on the venerable (read: old) building at which it resided. Scrooge, a man of his word, followed his own contract to the letter where many would have been tempted to renege, and foreclosed the place forthwith. And outside of regular business hours, too! All who knew him were, understandably, amazed at this show of character.

Little is known of Mr. Scrooge's childhood, so little will be said. But his later life was spent in his most famous pastime: the accumulation of wealth. The funeral for this man will be held on Sunday next, a public service with lunch to follow. The journalist, by way of condolences, would like to offer his deepest sympathies to anyone—anyone at all—who knew Mr. Scrooge in his lifetime. They must be sore pressed at this tragic turn of events.