Sunday, February 7, 2010

The Grave Side Service

As a bagpiper, I play many 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; and being
a typical man I didn't stop for directions. I finally arrived an
hour late and saw the funeral guy had evidently gone and the hearse
was nowhere in sight.

There were only the diggers and crew 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 for this homeless
man.

And as I played "Amazing Grace" the workers began to weep. They
wept, I wept, we all wept together. When I finished I packed up my
bagpipes and started for my car. Though my head hung low, my heart
was full.

As I was opening the door to my car, I heard one of the workers say,
"Sweet Mother of Jesus, I never seen nothin' like that before and
I've been putting in septic tanks for over twenty years."

Some Interesting View Points