Appointment in Samarra

There’s this story by Somerset Maugham. A servant complains to his master one day that he met Death in the market and it threatened him. He says that he is so scared he doesn’t want to stay there anymore and that he is leaving for Samarra. The master gives his permission but then goes himself to the market to look out for Death. When he sees it he confronts it about why it threatened his servant.

Death says “I didn’t threaten your servant. I was just amused to see him in the market today because I have an appointment with him in Samarra tonight.”

I thought of this story when I read about people who died in the terrorist attacks when they were celebrating something or meeting friends. And also when I read about those who lived to tell the tale – though they managed to escape by the skin of their teeth.

None of us has access to Death’s Appointment book. The only thing that we can do is live life to the fullest till we have our own Appointment in Samarra.