As a bagpiper, I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man who had no family or friends. The funeral was to be held at a cemetery in the remote countryside, and this man would be the first to be laid to rest there.
As I was not familiar with the backwoods area, I became lost. Being a typical man, I did not stop for directions, and finally arrived an hour late.
I saw the backhoe and the crew was eating their lunch, but the hearse was nowhere in sight.
I apologized to the workers for my tardiness and stepped to the side of the open grave where I saw the vault lid already in place.
I assured the workers I would not hold them up for long, but this was the proper thing to do. Still eating their lunch, the workers gathered around the grave.
I played with all my heart and soul.
As I played, the workers began to weep. I played and I played like I'd never played before. I played everything from "Going Home," "The Lord is My Shepherd," to "Flowers of the Forest ." I closed the lengthy session with "Amazing Grace " and walked to my car.
As I was opening the door and taking off my coat, I overheard one of the workers saying to another,"Sweet Jeezuz, Mary'n Joseph, I never seen nothin' like that before, and I've been putting in septic tanks for twenty years."
As I was not familiar with the backwoods area, I became lost. Being a typical man, I did not stop for directions, and finally arrived an hour late.
I saw the backhoe and the crew was eating their lunch, but the hearse was nowhere in sight.
I apologized to the workers for my tardiness and stepped to the side of the open grave where I saw the vault lid already in place.
I assured the workers I would not hold them up for long, but this was the proper thing to do. Still eating their lunch, the workers gathered around the grave.
I played with all my heart and soul.
As I played, the workers began to weep. I played and I played like I'd never played before. I played everything from "Going Home," "The Lord is My Shepherd," to "Flowers of the Forest ." I closed the lengthy session with "Amazing Grace " and walked to my car.
As I was opening the door and taking off my coat, I overheard one of the workers saying to another,"Sweet Jeezuz, Mary'n Joseph, I never seen nothin' like that before, and I've been putting in septic tanks for twenty years."
