Dear John: About six months ago I wrote to you and have not heard back. I assume you are a busy man. Perhaps you could not understand my penmanship.

I am an elderly, severely disabled man with three chronic, progressive diseases. I exist (not live) on meager $669 monthly Social Security payments.

In the late 1990s I invested in another family member’s alternative-fuel business that failed. He was kind enough to transfer said investment into a second, similar investment.

The current limited liability company owned 20 percent of a similar alternative fuel company. We — the investors and our siblings — receive nominal dividends.

My question is: How can I sell my 10,000 shares? I do have a certificate. However, whenever I request any information I am always shot down.

I do not want to leave all of my only investment to my beneficiaries. I would like to enjoy some while I am alive. M.V.

Dear M.V. Sorry if I missed your earlier letter. And your handwriting is difficult to make out.

You didn’t give me much to go on here. Since you have a certificate, there should be the name of a brokerage firm — a transfer agent — on it. That company should give you information. In fact, since you’re talking about a private company, that might be the only way to get information.

If you send me a copy of the certificate, I will try to run this down for you. Send a copy, not the original.

Let’s see if we can get you some money to have fun with. Let your beneficiaries earn their own money.