This isn't a library odd job, it's a library non-job. It is odd, though. An older gentleman approached the front desk today and asked if we would be willing to sign his will as witnesses. This is not something we do. We don't offer notary services, but he assured us it didn't need to be notarized.
I read through the paragraph of legalese saying I swore under penalty of perjury and whatnot, and didn't like the idea. I didn't see any will, just the witness statement page. How can I witness something I haven't read? Why is it so important to sign here and now?
Photo by Melinda Gimpel on Unsplash
I asked my manager to take a look, and she didn't seem very eager to put ink to paper herself. I declined, and apologized for the inconvenience just to be polite. He stormed out grumbling about how it was indeed an inconvenience. Did he think asking strangers to sign an affidavit on a whim was going to work? Why was he in such a hurry? Where was the will we were supposedly witnessing? It was all very peculiar, but he seemed to think we were the weird ones.
On a practical note, I do recommend serious estate planning if you have any property to speak of. Many US states do have fairly straightforward will laws, and you may be able to find basic legal forms at your local library or online. If you have a more significant (or complicated) estate, you may benefit from hiring a professional to plan everything from a living trust to last will. But please don't ask random strangers to sign documents, OK?
