Here Lies

An elderly, habitually generous man tolerates a thrifty companion's petty thefts and eccentric habits while both live with a capable housekeeper. Tensions rise when the companion courts the housekeeper and later is found dead clutching a small sum he accumulated. The host inters him in an already excavated underground tomb, alters the epitaph, and furnishes the grave with comforts and an alarm to guard against premature burial. Nights of vigils and superstitious listening complicate grief and possessiveness until the housekeeper insists he stop, leaving an ironic pair of epitaphs that highlight themes of shared property, pride, and performative generosity.