(Thanks and a hat tip to Martin Selbrede)
There are a few pieces missing from this story, but what we have is, well, too strange to pass up.
A man showed up in a Rumanian court last week to try to prove he was still alive, but the court wasn’t having any. You’re too late, buddy: you were declared dead years ago, and that decision is final (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/constantin-reliu-man-returns-romania-finds-hes-been-declared-dead/).
Assorted tests have verified that the man is who he says he is. He laments, “I am officially dead, although I’m alive.” He thinks being dead may impede his attempts to find a job.
It seems the guy took off for Turkey some 20 years ago, his wife got tired of waiting for him to come back, had him declared dead, and moved to Italy. When his papers expired, he was deported from Turkey–coming home to Rumania only to learn that he was legally dead. And last week he found himself in the extraordinary position of trying to prove, in person, that he’s actually alive–with the judge not buying it!
“Honest, your honor, I’m not dead! I don’t even feel dead!”
“Sorry, Charlie. The papers say you’re dead, and that’s that.”
Laments the man, “I’m a ghost. I can’t do anything.”
What do you want to bet he has to keep paying taxes?
This says a great deal about human dominion. We are not fit to rule over our fellow man and always end up causing harm
This poor guy is caught in a really strange nightmare. Maybe he should go to Italy and try to find his wife who could then verify to the court that he is, in fact, alive. This probably qualifies for a spot in Ripley’s Believe It Or Not.
Maybe he shouldn’t have waltzed off to Turkey for 20 years. I think he must have really cheesed her off.
You certainly have a point. Years ago, we lived across the street from an elderly woman who lived alone. The story was that her husband went out for a paper one evening and never returned. I can’t even imagine how frantic a person would be never knowing what happened!
I think this woman in Rumania was mad enough at her husband to have him declared legally dead. Ouch!