I like to arrive at funerals a good 45 minutes before the host. Unless of course it's a Catholic funeral, when the body is brought into church the night before. Arriving early enables you to seat yourself in the appropriate part of the church. Not too near the front (unless you are family, very close friends or just plain rude), half way back (if you are distant family i.e. second cousin status and beyond, work colleagues and parishioners), or at the back (people of no faith, those who need others to show them when to stand when to kneel, etc., and drama queens.) I sat myself quietly with the better dressed and distant family and friends in the middle section. Packed church, lovely funeral, on point eulogy and a good spread afterwards. Three hours later I'm still there renewing distant family relationships and swapping email addresses. Then I blackberry my PA.
"At wake. Negotiating purchase of coat. Google up musquash. Not rabbit is it?"
2 comments:
That is so "spot on", Amalee.
For those that do not understand the glories of a proper Catholic funeral, I should explain that one of the best in my memory was that of my own mother 25 years ago. There was much grief in church and at graveside, obviously, but afterwards we all repaired to the small local village hotel. There was the usual chit-chat initially until a good friend of the family who owns a rubber face, made a humorous remark and pulled a hilarious face. We all started to laugh uncontrollably. I suddenly felt terribly embarrassed and looked around guiltily. Right beside me was my aunt, my mother’s sister, who had literally fallen off her stool with laughter. I guess some of it was hysterical relief but that was irrelevant. A good funeral provides outlets for grief, sympathy, reminiscence and a damned good laugh. That is certainly what I would want at mine.
Thanks for that lovely and amusing article.
BTW – what is the answer? Is musquash = rabbit?
you are right there on that one .
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