This is a chuckle - got the email from a friend - was a good way to start the busy day ....
The Emerald Society is well known with Chicago police officers. They play at so many functions. But a friend of mine told me a story and I just had to send this on to my friends.
As a bagpiper for the Emerald Society, I play many gigs. Recently I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man. I've done a few charity events so this was not too big of a request.
He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper's cemetery in the Cook County back roads. As I was not familiar with the back roads, 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, and 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 opened 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."
Apparently I'm still lost....
The Emerald Society is well known with Chicago police officers. They play at so many functions. But a friend of mine told me a story and I just had to send this on to my friends.
As a bagpiper for the Emerald Society, I play many gigs. Recently I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man. I've done a few charity events so this was not too big of a request.
He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper's cemetery in the Cook County back roads. As I was not familiar with the back roads, 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, and 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 opened 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."
Apparently I'm still lost....
