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It was one hell of a a funeral..
Feb. 25th, 2002 08:08 amYesterday, I watched one of the craziest, best funerals I have every witnessed.
Colma, Ca, is the only city in the United States where the dead outnumber the living. This town is nothing but cemeteries, and a copuple of shopping malls. The mall I work at backs up against Woodlawn cemetery, which is the final resting place of the Emperor Norton.
Yesterday, I'm sitting in the car filling out my DAR, when I hear the Monty Python theme. I wander over to the fence separating us from the cemetery, and see an internment in progress... with a marching band! And when they reach the end of the theme, everybody makes the "splat" sound!
Later, while on rounds, I come by and the band is playing the Addams Family theme, and once again, all the mourners are snapping their fingers in the appropriate places.
I wasn't near that side of the mall when the rifle salute was fired, but the first volley made me jump!
Come back around for a break, and see that the service is ending. The drum major forms his band up to exit, and they leave playing not a dirge, but the them from Austin Powers! And they get down with it! Utterly fascinated, I stand there and gape like a tourist.
After the band comes a six-man honor guard, obviously old Nam buddies. The have the national colors along with the Marine Corps flag, and still know how to march. I know they were Vietnam era Marines from what they were wearing.
Then comes a Russian Orthodox priest (he might have been someone higher up in the hierarchy, because he had a very fancy robe and staff) walking along side a nun. Behind them came what looked to be a Marine JROTC group bearing the flag in a 6-point carry. Then came the family, and after them a clown.
I am not kidding. A clown.
Impressed is not the word we are looking for here, I was awed. If you can judge a life by who you leave it, this guy led a life filled with fun and laughter.. I mean c'mon.. the Austin Powers theme? Brilliant!
Colma, Ca, is the only city in the United States where the dead outnumber the living. This town is nothing but cemeteries, and a copuple of shopping malls. The mall I work at backs up against Woodlawn cemetery, which is the final resting place of the Emperor Norton.
Yesterday, I'm sitting in the car filling out my DAR, when I hear the Monty Python theme. I wander over to the fence separating us from the cemetery, and see an internment in progress... with a marching band! And when they reach the end of the theme, everybody makes the "splat" sound!
Later, while on rounds, I come by and the band is playing the Addams Family theme, and once again, all the mourners are snapping their fingers in the appropriate places.
I wasn't near that side of the mall when the rifle salute was fired, but the first volley made me jump!
Come back around for a break, and see that the service is ending. The drum major forms his band up to exit, and they leave playing not a dirge, but the them from Austin Powers! And they get down with it! Utterly fascinated, I stand there and gape like a tourist.
After the band comes a six-man honor guard, obviously old Nam buddies. The have the national colors along with the Marine Corps flag, and still know how to march. I know they were Vietnam era Marines from what they were wearing.
Then comes a Russian Orthodox priest (he might have been someone higher up in the hierarchy, because he had a very fancy robe and staff) walking along side a nun. Behind them came what looked to be a Marine JROTC group bearing the flag in a 6-point carry. Then came the family, and after them a clown.
I am not kidding. A clown.
Impressed is not the word we are looking for here, I was awed. If you can judge a life by who you leave it, this guy led a life filled with fun and laughter.. I mean c'mon.. the Austin Powers theme? Brilliant!
