I knew a bagpiper. Recently he was asked by a funeral director
to play at a graveside service for a homeless man who had no known family or
friends. The service was to be at a pauper's cemetery in the Mississippi back country.
As my friend was not familiar with the rural areas he got lost and, being a typical
man, didn't stop for directions.
He 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.
He told me he felt badly and apologized to the men for being late. He went to the side of
the dug out place and looked down. The vault lid was already in place. He said he didn't
know what else to do, so he started to play.
The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around. He played out
his heart and soul for this man with no family and friends. He played like he'd NEVER played before for this homeless man.
And as he played 'Amazing Grace' the workers began to weep. They wept, he
wept...they ALL wept together. When finished, he packed up his bagpipes and
started for his car. Though his head hung low, his heart was full, he recounted.
But as he opened the door to his car he heard one of the workers say, "I never
seen nothin' like that before and I've been putting in septic tanks for
twenty years."
Apparently he is still lost...You wouldn't understand...it's a man thing.
to play at a graveside service for a homeless man who had no known family or
friends. The service was to be at a pauper's cemetery in the Mississippi back country.
As my friend was not familiar with the rural areas he got lost and, being a typical
man, didn't stop for directions.
He 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.
He told me he felt badly and apologized to the men for being late. He went to the side of
the dug out place and looked down. The vault lid was already in place. He said he didn't
know what else to do, so he started to play.
The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around. He played out
his heart and soul for this man with no family and friends. He played like he'd NEVER played before for this homeless man.
And as he played 'Amazing Grace' the workers began to weep. They wept, he
wept...they ALL wept together. When finished, he packed up his bagpipes and
started for his car. Though his head hung low, his heart was full, he recounted.
But as he opened the door to his car he heard one of the workers say, "I never
seen nothin' like that before and I've been putting in septic tanks for
twenty years."
Apparently he is still lost...You wouldn't understand...it's a man thing.