Funeral ServiceAs a Bagpiper, I play many funeral gigs. Recently I was asked by a funeral director to play at a grave side service for a homeless man. He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper's cemetery in the Kentucky back-country. As I was not familiar with the backwoods, I got lost. I finally arrived an hour late and saw the service was over and the hearse was nowhere in sight. There were only the diggers left and they were eating lunch. I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late. I went to the side of the grave and looked down and the vault lid was already in place. I didn't know what else to do, so I started to play. The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around. I played out my heart and soul for this man with no family and friends. I played like I've never played before. As I played "Amazing Grace," the workers began to weep. I wept; we all wept together. When I finished, I packed up my bagpipes and started for my car. As I was opening the door to my car, I heard one of the workers sob, "Sweet Mother of Jesus, I never seen nothin' like that before, and I've been putting in septic tanks for twenty years." — contributed by Jamie Dalton TOP |
