terminal since May

"People buy things because they're depressed. They have free time. If they're employed, they're lost at work. All they got left is death and Internet, cable TV or kids if they're lucky. Jim across the street croaked last month. An aunt in Pennsauken has been terminal since May. There's something soothing about paying monthlies to know it's all taken care of. Older folks are depressed, and they don't want or need any more things in their homes. A monthly reminder they are a good person who cares about others—family or friends they'll be leaving behind. That's what they want. And, if they pay more, they assume they'll be getting more."

~~ from "A Day's Worth" by Alex Kudera