Dear Nikola,

Thank you for your letter with the included snow-tire communication to your mother. The letter is an encouraging reflection of your state of mind.

 Although I have heard of snow tires, I have never used them, and would be embarrassed by the question how they affect steering, acceleration or braking in slush or snow or on ice. When we moved to Virginia in 1939, all local roads across the mountain ridges and through the valleys had surfaces of packed mud, not even gravel, not to speak of asphalt or concrete, and in winter, steel tire chains clamped around the rear wheels - front wheel drive was unkown and far in the future - made it possible to extricate the car from ruts in mud or snow. Tire chains limited the speed to about 30 m.p.h., and would be quickly abraded on paved roads. They were therefore regularly removed at the foot of the mountain which had to be crossed on the way to the grocery store 25 miles away, to be reapplied on the return trip. To this day, I remember the turn-outs where the chains were removed and re-applied.

So far as insurance is concerned, I have extesive experience, since I have been in the insurance business all my life, and found it more profitable than investing in stocks or practicing medicine.  I understood that if it was profitable for the insurance company to sell insurance to a population of risk-takers, it would be even more profitable for me to be so careful as not to require insurance.  I compensated for declining all insurance that was not mandated by law, by exercising caution in all my activities. Perhaps I should not boast, but at age 90, I have never experienced an accident for which insurace would have compensated me.

Why am I writing you this? It's on my mind, and writing what is on my mind is all that is left for me to do.  Stay content and well. Give my regards to your parents.

EJM