I'm late, I'm late for a very important.. other funeral at another church!

Dr. Larry Oleary

Died: October 30, 2010
Funeral; November 5th..2010

This funeral started with a call from the organist two days before telling me that he might be there close to 10am..just in time for the funeral. Okee dokee, No problem, we have done that before. 

So I  arrive at church - and Ted (my organist) says to me - "Good morning - Did you know that there are six grandchildren speaking.. 6?  Well, in the end, it ended up being five.. This still did not bode well with Ted, for he had another funeral at another church at eleven.  Now this is normally feasible.  But with the grandchildren and other relatives speaking, I was just not sure if he was going to make it -

The deceased was a local doctor - very popular, funny, seemed like a wonderful man..started a soccer league from his back yard 40 years ago and since then, it has turned into a pretty large league!
There was no coffin at this one - it was a cremation. I always find cremation sort of surreal.  This once walking living breathing person, is now in a small box.  A nice box, green marble, but none the less, a box. It just proves to me how precious our lives are and how important our family and friends are.. and also how important it is to tell the people you love "I love you" today, not tomorrow.. but today - now.. (ok, go call your family, I will wait)

 Ok back to Ted... as I said before, he had to leave early for another funeral at 11 - So he had informed the church when this funeral came up that he had another funeral at 11 at a church close by and he has to leave no later than 10:50.. no later (his words exactly). I have to  give you a play by play.. so this is how it went down...

 After his drama scene in regards to the speakers.. he started listening to the eulogists.  One of the  people that got up to talk about the deceased said that the doctor was a funny man - that he was a fan of the three stooges and did not like Lucille Ball!  Of course my response was, "What? How can you not like her.. she was amazing!" and Ted said.."they better move this along!"  - Oy!  Some spoke for quite sometime, Finally, finally they were done - and the service truly began.  After the first reading, the old testament, I walk up and sing the responsorial psalm.  So I go..  sing the psalm (2 verses, Ted is going to be late remember)  and go sit down.  Sing the Alleluia, and sit down.. Then the presider gets up to read and give the sermon.  As he gives his sermon, Ted and I go in the back room of the church to chill out for a bit - And there as Ted, texting, looking at the clock, tapping his foot... you get the picture.. Now don't get me wrong, Ted is an amazing pianist , great musician and a very very funny man - I love working with him .. but today he was not the best planner...

So the sermon is finally over - and Ted is getting all worked up now, he knows that he is going to be late for the next funeral - Now I am not sure what he did in the back room while the Priest was preparing for communion - but I saw him flicking his phone, making phone calls... you get the picture...
So we are up to the communion hymn and he turns to me and says... I am playing this hymn and I am leaving.. Ok.. so he is leaving me to cover the incensing the cremains and closing hymn?  What .. is he new?  Does he know what he is doing?   Really?  Does he know my piano skills?  I mean, I can fake it..but come on.. Oh.. but it gets better...

So.... now picture this... me sitting at the piano, with the microphone pulled in front of me.. ala Lady GaGa.. (ok,that made me laugh out loud).. So I have decided not to look back at the priest, because I can take my cues off of what he is going to say.. So he says the closing statement before he incenses the cremains, and I start singing what I normally do (even if I am not playing) then.. I hear.. "and I will incense the cremains...." Ok, so apparently he was not done speaking.. great.. awesome.. Oh man.. so I wait.. and finally I finish what I am singing.. and I am thinking to myself, "one down, one to go - I really hope no one will notice how I suck at the piano"  Then the service was over and I was left singing and playing How Great thou Art (Thank goodness people were leaving - it was not GREAT.. ).. I should have just sung it accapella (without accompaniment) - but no, I thought it would be a good idea to try to play it.. so in conclusion.. I have decided that it was not the best thing to leave me singing and playing at the same time in a church, in front of people.

Needless to say - No one should ever let me to do that again..

Ok kiddies..

Have a great day.. and remember to tell the people in your life that you love them...