[Fred Trump, aged 90, in the throes of dementia,
is greeted atop Fifth Avenue to sign some papers]
See I don’t sign it till Maryanne looks it over.
That last one of Don’s codicils she said didn’t
pass the smell test. I told her get, who was it
Mary, who did my estate last?—I told her get—
But I’ve always been careful, always, even
with the kids. They’re yours but they have
minds of their own. They want things and
when they’re young that’s all you want to do
is give them whatever it is without their asking.
Then they grow up and you start negotiating.
You’re trying to teach them what’s valuable.
If you’re lucky they’ll want what you have.
Robert Charboneau. 