Words

Yesterday the body of the missing banker Pai Wen-chen was found in Penghu.  He was believed to have committed suicide.  I was shocked by his death.  Yesterday morning, the newspaper said he was missing, and the evening paper ran the story of his death. 

It was not until yesterday that I heard of his name, not because he was not a celebrity, but because I am more concerned about education news.  Mr. Pai was the chairperson of Polaris, the second-largest securities brokerage.  Recently he was troubled by some accusations.  According to the Taiwan News, "the final straw for him may have been the allegations regarding his relationship with Examination Yuan president nominee Chang Chun-yen." A magazine said Mr. Pai bought his honor doctorate by providing long-term financing for Mr. Chang, the university's president, which was very humiliating to Mr. Pai.

The words I saw/heard on TV when I was studying in Illinois echo again: "Some words heal; some words hurt."  And now I can add to the statement, "Some words kill."