The multi-billionaire was lying on his death bed, there was little more his doctors could do for him but prepare him for the end. So it was that they were surprised when he asked that a certain lawyer be brought to his bedside. The crusty old billionaire HATED lawyers. He blamed lawyers for all of the bad things that had happened to him and his businesses and he railed against them constantly. The particular lawyer he asked for had been one of his worst antagonists during his life.
When the lawyer arrived the old man dismissed all of his retainers and asked to be alone with his former adversary. With his remaining strength he pulled the lawyer down next to him and in a barely audible whisper said,
“Remember years ago when you were trying to aggravate me, you said that for enough money, I could buy a law degree and get myself admitted to the Bar?”
“Yes,” the lawyer replied, “I remember.”
“Well,” the curmudgeonly capitalist said, I want you to do it. I don't care how much money it costs, I want you to make me a lawyer.”
Confused, the lawyer nonetheless set out to accomplish the old man’s dying request and within a matter of hours the deed was done. It cost nearly a million dollars, but the billionaire had his law degree and was admitted to the Bar.
Now as he lay in waning moments, his physicians and retainers gathered around him, one of them came up and said,
“We don't understand, why after all of these years of despising lawyers, after all these years of fighting them and tearing them down as predators and leeches, why after all this -- would you want to become a lawyer yourself?”
With his very last breath, the old man gargled, “One less lawyer!”
