The Purchase of the apartment
Advice Rasilo regarding the purchase of the apartment. Rasulo a 17-year-old, lived in Field 40, Lautoka. One day, when Rasilo returned from school, he saw two short, fat men outside his house. The two men introduced themselves as Mr. Blard I and Mr. Blard II from an insurance company. They said to Rasilo: “Your dear grandfather died earlier today in Japan.” Rasulo grew up with his grandfather and had no other family members.. At first, Rasilo was in disbelief, but when he saw the two men’s serious faces, he started to feel worried and began to cry.
The two men waited and watched Rasilo’s reaction silently and coldly. Rasilo was crying quietly at first, but he soon could not control his emotions. When Rasilo’s cry became a feverish panic, Mr Blard I gave a look at Mr Blard II, who knowingly nodded and pulled out a long contract from his briefcase. Rasulo rubbed his teary eyes and looked at the contract quizzically.
Mr. Blard II explained to Rasilo: ‘Your grandfather bought a life insurance and you are the beneficiary of his life insurance policy. You will get 500,000 dollars from the insurance company on your 18th birthday. But it does not seem that you want wait that long, doesn’t it? You have no other family members, no work experience or skills.
How are you going to survive without money before your 18th birthday? Who will look after you?” Mr Blard I added: “Let us help you. We will settle this claim on this very day if you agree to sign this contract to use the 500,000 dollars to purchase this highly profitable apartment in Suva city. You can then live on the handsome rents this apartment generates.
Sign this contract, and you will not have to worry about anything.” As he said this, Mr Blard I flipped through the pages of the contract to the last page and showed Rasilo the signature line on that page. At this stage, Mr Blard II promptly gave Rasilo a pen and said: ‘Don’t miss this amazing deal, little boy! We are trying to help you.’ Rasilo told the two men he needed time to think about it. Mr Blard I said: ‘sorry, young boy. That is not possible. We have to report to the company immediately with a decision on this.
It is your choice to sign it now and be happy or face poverty and be miserable until you are 18.’ Rasilo did not know what to do for there was mixed emotions of sadness, confusion, and vulnerability, he took the pen from Mr Blard II and signed on the last page of the contract. Mr Blard I and Mr Blard II gave Rasilo a carbon copy of the contract and left. Mr. Blard I and II did not disclose to Rasilo that the actual cost of the apartment was $200,000.00.
