ja 25 funereal arrangements

Of course I didn't want to wait until 1 p.m. So busy you know. But it was a good time to idle my beat up old truck into the parking lot that was mostly empty.

"Begley?" the man questioned as he saw my searching eyes.

"Yes," I told him.

He pointed in the southern direction.

But what I was most impressed by was that there was a school nearby. And than recess must have been out because, as the most pleasant sound in the world, young voices cascading up down the snow covered .

this made up for yesterday's post of the funeral with the name that was below Father's--LeRoy Brown.

No, this was made up for--and Tuesday was the day he went under, his brother said, so he didn't die alone.

stories--

hop in the car and take 'em for ice cream sodas and root beer. You certainly can't do that nowadays, the brother said, his eyes twinkling.

and of course, i thought, initially, it was because of the restrictions of seatbelts, all strapped in necessity, no stuffing anyone in no flatbead pickup truck for a ride down busy streets to celebrate not really a victory or loss but time together.

and then a pall of doom for the Catholic Church that bells might be wringing in sorrow for evermore, the sexual innuendo--how could anyone ever reclaim any takes for modesty? every priest you look at you think, no, that's not a vocation, that's a license to prevaricate...

and that was sad, as an aging monsignor came trooping down the funeral hall--walking slow and broken down, to see his Father brother priest--interned.

The laughter of the children in the playgrounds--the sound of the day.

vvvv

Vroom, Vroom, went Father.

it was the age of Vatican II.

and I tried to explain my presence....the second priest. Father Gately, who didn't drive, retired and went off to Ireland.

And there was Father, trucking off to watch the racers, Indianpollis Speed way...

Was it the olds 88. No, I don't think it was.

I didn't say it but now I'm thinking it--I think it was a Camaro.

He was driving unitl 6 months ago. the same disease Ann Landers had. And then he had heart failure, they couldn't take care of that...and so, slowly, he withered away 'til now, he's looking up at heaven.

The diamond stories.

When they'd all get together...a sports buff, a sports nut.