THE FUNERAL

Written by Barry P. Foley
Copyright @ 20 December 2007 NEW VERSION 22 FEB 2019

The boss called me to his office and said, “need you to cover for me
A relative's funeral’s today, down in Tennessee
Go home and put on a dark suit, make sure you’re there by two

Pick up some flowers, and "Son, let’s keep this between me and you”

I jumped in the company car, loaded up the  GPS
Stopped in town for flowers and a fresh pack of cigarettes

Hit the Interstate with a 100 miles of  blacktop, ahead of  me
I always hated funerals, but how  hard can a stranger’s be

At the cemetery, I was shocked, cause no one else was  there

‘Cept a couple boys from the county jail, putting out some chairs
A car pulled up with a preacher & an old lady dressed in  black
As the Hearst pulled onto the grass, with a pine box in the back


BRIDGE
One of the boys motioned for me, with a nod of his  head
To help 'em carry that pine box, the last respect for the dead

As we got to the grave, the preacher began quietly
I looked  up and it was just the old  lady, the preacher and me

No more than 5 minutes passed, when the Preacher said  Amen

He hugged the old lady and joined those boys over by a county van
I was standing there like a fool, with nothing  proper to say
I said  “Ma’am I’m sorry, but Dan Lawson couldn’t  make it today”


She looked at me gently; I saw no  tears in her eyes,
She said you can tell my baby brother, Dad forgave him the night he died

 

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