It would have been hard to find another single person who was more book smart than Gerald Longfellow B.S., B.A. (4), B.F.A., M.A. (3) M.B.A., Ph.D. (2) (1920 - 2011). Getting back from WWII Gerald decided he was going to school since working in the kitchen was the last thing he ever wanted to do again. In 1944 he enrolled in his first degree program, and, in 2009 received his final degree. When he died in January he was working on his forth Masters Degree.
During all this time, Gerald kept racking up student loans, living off one after another after another. He amassed an amazing 3.7 million dollars worth of student loan debt. Since he leaves no children, wife or personal property, all of the people he had first listed on his loan forms as guarantors have since passed away, there is no one responsible for this debt. Loan companies are livid, John Booker from Sallie-Mae said "This has never happened, he should have come up on our radar, but since he always made small payments there were no red flags. I feel sorry for our company and it seems, the five other loan companies who are currently in the same boat."
Gerald left a will in which he leaves all his text books to a first come first serve student basis - with a maximum 5 books per person. He also left instructions for his very specific burial for which he had a pre-paid plot (no doubt bought with loan money.)
We spoke with his girlfriend of 50 years, and all she had to say was this: "Can you blame him? He worked the system perfectly. We had a wonderful life together. His biggest regret was never being on Jeopardy." On his pre-paid head stone will be written. "He lies Gerald Longfellow - Who was a very smart man?"
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