I went to a funeral today, a brother of a good friend of ours. We did the "Viewing" last night. They are a nice family, three nice boys, and a daughter. He was in his mid 80's, it did happen suddenly though. I just made a few observations, not looking ahead, just some things I noticed.
He was wearing glasses and a wrist watch. I understand, that was how he looked in real life and how they wanted him to be remembered, so these were just observations in my twisted mind. Glasses and a wristwatch .....
And then, as we shook hands with the family and passed in front of the casket, the widow says, "Thanks for coming." What is the proper reply to that? I am not going to mention any that come to mind, you use your own.
Funeral procession to the cemetery. Driving down the four lane, some cars I saw, stayed behind the procession, some passed on the left, which was fine. But, only younger drivers passed us, most in small Honda's with fancy tires and rims and "fin things on the trunk lid." They thought nothing of whizzing by. A few, on the other lane, even, stopped and pulled to the side, out of respect. Not all, but a few did.
Then, on the two lane an interesting mix.
Some in the opposite lane pulled clear off the road and stopped. Garbage trucks do not stop, they keep on going and ignore the procession. Some did not know what to do, they just kinda slowed down or stopped in the middle of the lane and looked. In one instance, I saw a car, driving rather fast, coming up on them. They stopped in time.
It was almost a fifteen mile drive to the quaint little cemetery, up on a hill, in land that I am sure the departed had trod many times, and is now his eternal home.
He was buried on a hillside and I realized that in my advanced age, I have trouble standing on a hillside for any length of time ... I learn something new, every day.
