A CCIE’s Last Will and Testament

I Scott Morris, a resident of Wayward, Virginia, being of sound mind and memory and being at least eighteen (18) years of age, do hereby make, publish and declare this to be my last will and testament, hereby revoking all prior Wills and Codicils at any time heretofore made by me.

I am currently married to Mrs. Morris who will be referred to herein as “my spouse”.  I currently have two children.  All references to “my children” shall include any biological children born to me before or after the execution of this Last Will or children legally adopted by me after the date of execution of this Last Will.

Article I

Personal Representative

I hereby name, constitute and appoint Eman Conde as Personal Representative to administer my estate.  The term “Personal Representative” has the same meaning as the term “executor” herein.

Should the laws of the state in which my Last Will and Testament is probate allow it, then my Personal Representative shall not require to furnish a bond for the faithful performance of his or her duties as Personal Representative.

                In the event the laws of the state in which my Last Will and Testament is probate allow it, I authorize my Personal Representative to administer my estate independently without adjunction, order or direction of any court.  The decision to administer my estate independently or under court supervision shall rest solely with my Personal Representative.

                My Personal Representative shall be paid reasonable compensation for serving in this office.

Article II

Burial/Payment of Debts

A.      I direct my Personal Representative to pay all of the expenses of my last illness, burial and funeral expenses as soon as practicable after my death.  Should I fail to dispose of my body by anatomical gift, such funeral expenses shall include the cost of any casket, burial marker and funeral service.  My Personal Representative is further authorized to pay honorarium to any clergymen in conjunction with my funeral and the travel costs of any beneficiaries of this Will who have traveled from their residence to attend my funeral.

B.      As soon as practical after my death, I direct my Personal Representative to pay any debt or claim which he/she or a court determines to be legally enforceable against my estate.  In the absence of a court order, my Personal Representative shall have absolute discretion to determine that a debt is legally enforceable against my estate.  However, if at the time of my death any of the real property herein devised is subject to a mortgage, I direct that the devisee taking said mortgage property shall take it subject to such mortgage and that the devisee shall not be entitled to have the mortgage paid of my general estate.

C.      All expenses of administration of my estate shall first be paid out of the residuary of my estate until exhausted.

Article III

Specific Bequest

I hereby give and bequeath the following below-described sums of money or items of personal or real property, as the case may be, to the following:

NAME	Description of Gift
Mrs. Morris	Bank Account contents both US and Swiss
Darby Weaver	Cisco Equipment from my home lab
John Chambers	Four CCIE Medallions
Eman Conde	My CCIE Number

What?  I get a CCIE Number! WoooHoo!!!

Yes even stranger than Scott leaving his lab to Darby or his legendary four CCIE medallions to John Chambers, is putting his CCIE number in his will.  It might not be as farfetched as some might think.  The use of a CCIE number after the CCIE’s death has been tried.  In a recent discussion with one of the folks in my network I was made aware of a rumor that recently a pair of CCIEs had very tragically and suddenly passed away.  Their company was faced with closing their doors when the company was purchased by another aspiring Gold partner.  The CCIE numbers associated with that company were now part of the new company’s assets, or so the buyer thought.  The addition of the two CCIE numbers to the existing company’s previous associations was used in an attempt to pass their audit.

How Morbid!

The audit might have gone through if not for Cisco’s thorough scrutiny.  So even over the claims of the company in question’s representatives, that the CCIEs were actually on the payroll the truth was brought out.  The value of the CCIE number in this case reached out from the grave enticing one creative thinking organization to try something new.  I have heard some stories about creative ways companies try to pass audits, but this one takes the cake.