The Lonely Death of George Bell

No, not that one.

Powerful story:

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/10/18/nyregion/dying-alone-in-new-york-city.html

 

What a piece of writing. I can be a difficult individual, as my loved ones can attest to, but I hope having a devoted wife, two children two whom I'm devoted, three siblings and a multitude of cousins will keep me from dying in that manner in the end. But if my wife predeceases me, I imagine all bets are off...

 

How much time you figure was given to the reporter to track down and piece all that info together and meet a deadline?
It's such a long story but extremely interesting as it traces the life of Mr. Bell.

 

I had 45 minutes yesterday, waiting to get a haircut, and read this. It's long but very well done. Interesting how all these elements we rarely think about come together, and in a place as big as NYC, I imagine there are even more of these kinds of stories that don't get pieced together.

 

Very well-written, and sad.

I wonder how the reporter ended up choosing Bell as his subject. Just randomly?

 

A bit random. This related piece by the author explains how he wrote the story:
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/10/1...ons-what-happens-to-people-who-die-alone.html

 

I missed that link. Thanks.

I love his last two sentences in his narrative.

 

Me too. Very powerful.

I sure hope I don't die alone. Gotta clean my house up.

 

Great story.

 

Great story but, damn, that was hard to read.

 

This resonated. Jeez, I have a couple of ex-wives, a few relatives but I live alone and talk to no one on a daily basis (retired). I do take out the trash though, so there's that.

 

You had to wait 45 minutes to get a haircut?