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 bad 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 twenty years. "
Les
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 bad 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 twenty years. "
Les
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