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 badly 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, "I never seen nothin' like that
before and I've been putting in septic tanks for
twenty years."
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 badly 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, "I never seen nothin' like that
before and I've been putting in septic tanks for
twenty years."
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