The Tale of Tom: Stuck in Limbo (Literally)

Tom was a “I’ll do it tomorrow” kind of guy. Sorting out a Will was on his list, right under “organise the garage” and “call the dentist.” Spoiler alert: tomorrow never came. When Tom unexpectedly popped his clogs, his family found themselves in a pickle—and not the fun, sandwich kind.

The Cold, Hard Truth

Tom’s long-term partner, Sarah, assumed she’d handle everything. They’d shared a house, a cat called Mr Whiskers, and 15 years of life. Surely that counted for something? Unfortunately, the law said, “Not my problem.”

Instead, Tom’s estranged brother, Peter, got handed the keys to the metaphorical (and literal) kingdom because—guess what?—they were blood relatives. Peter didn’t really know Tom. He thought he was “quiet” (translation: hadn’t seen him in years) and spent most of his energy fretting about the funeral costs. Meanwhile, Sarah, Mr Whiskers, and a growing mountain of friends were stuck waiting.

Tom, on the other hand? He was stuck too—in the morgue.

Tom on Ice

With no Will, no funeral instructions, and no one with the legal authority to sign off on anything, Tom was left chilling. Literally. The funeral home couldn’t move forward without someone stepping up legally, and that someone couldn’t access Tom’s accounts to cover the cost.

Peter kept delaying. Sarah kept arguing. Mr Whiskers developed stress-related alopecia.

The days stretched on. Friends started asking awkward questions: “Is there a funeral? Has he been buried yet? Can we bring sandwiches?” Sarah tried to smile through it, but behind closed doors, she was screaming into pillows.

The Long Goodbye Nobody Wanted

Weeks turned into months, and by the time the legal mess was untangled, the funeral felt less like a goodbye and more like a box-ticking exercise. Relationships were strained, the grief had curdled into resentment, and Mr Whiskers looked like a shaved tennis ball.

All because Tom couldn’t be bothered to scribble down some instructions and make it official.

The Moral of the Story

If you don’t write a Will, the law decides who calls the shots. Your partner might get sidelined, your money could get tied up in red tape, and you might spend far too long in a fridge.

So, be like future-you, the smart version who got their act together. Write a Will. Avoid the drama. Let your family focus on remembering you fondly instead of wondering when the hell they’ll get to bury you.

After all, life is too short—don’t let death drag on.