The folk at Births Deaths and Marriages are thoughtful.
When their middle letter hits your box, there’s not much to alarm you – save the unfamiliar address and unusual envelope thickness.
When you open it, you find a second envelope.
It says in big red letters that it contains a death certificate.
And that you might like to have someone with you when you open it.
When you gird yourself to slit this envelope, there’s another gentle touch.
The certificate is folded shut.
And when you unfold that, you see the back page first – which contains only your address and a discreet reference number.
With BD&M having done all they can, the final truth now lies in your hands.
Only you can turn the page.
[First published 3 July 2015.]