An elderly man lay dying in his bed. In death's agony, hesuddenly smelled the aroma of his favorite chocolate chip cookieswafting up the stairs. He gathered his remaining strength, andlifted himself from the bed. Leaning against the wall, he slowlymade his way out of the bedroom, and with even greater effortforced himself down the stairs, gripping the railing with bothhands. With labored breath, he leaned against the door frame,gazing into the kitchen.Were it not for death's agony, he would have thought himselfalready in heaven: there, spread out upon newspapers on thekitchen table were literally hundreds of his favorite chocolatechip cookies. Was it heaven? Or was it one final act of heroiclove from his devoted wife, seeing to it that he left this worlda happy man?Mustering one great final effort, he threw himself toward thetable, landing on his knees in a rumpled posture. His parchedlips parted; the wondrous taste of the cookie was already in hismouth; seemingly bringing him back to life. The aged andwithered hand, shockingly made its way to a cookie at the edge ofthe table, when it was suddenly smacked with a spatula by hiswife."Stay out of those," she said, "they're for the funeral."