Okey dokey, I’m back from the funeral. All things considered, it was a nice time. Funerals come with good and bad, but the good tends not to get adequate mention. So, here are the few things I figured from the last couple of days.
But first, let’s talk about this hotel I stayed in Monday night…
First, I must start by saying I did not pay for this hotel, so I shouldn’t have too much room to complain. A free room is a free room. However, not all rooms are created equal, no matter the cost.
This place was called the Bricktown City Plaza. Apparently, downtown Oklahoma City is being gentrified, and they’re calling it Bricktown. This hotel was not downtown, though. The bricks they were referring to must have been in the mattresses. My back is still screaming at me. My brother was in the bed next to me, ready to jump ship and head to the Renaissance, Quality Inn, or anything else. It wasn’t quite the Don’t Tell, but it was the Dew Drop Inn. We did, and we dropped the hell out as soon as we could.
Anyhoo, let’s keep this moving…
Good Things About Funerals
1. Family pictures.
Geography and real life are evil beings, making it such that it tends to take a funeral to get an entire family in the same place. However, it’s always good to see the fam. Unfortunately, the Old Man has been cleared to practice and rehab, but he wasn’t able to make a flight. No problem, though…me and my brother are better looking, anyway.
Oh, and nothin’ beats sportin’ a fresh mink. Even if it ain’t yours.
2. Food.
Okay, no matter how gloomy the service, the spread afterwards raises everyone’s spirits. When Boone died, JR suggested that we go somewhere else. Chap and I said there was no way we were going to miss the spread–never mind the fact that the pallbearers should stick around–and we demanded that we go. Man, that was a smashing idea. I almost caught the -itis in the basement of the church. My grandmother’s service was no different…ya boy went to work. Almost passed out right then. Unfortunately, now I’m back home, the meal is gone, and there’s very little here to compare to that. Shucks.
3. Learning.
This is an interesting one. See, this service was different for me because I didn’t know my grandmother that well. It wasn’t because we’re detached from the family, but my grandmother was good and grown by the time I was born, and her memory started to fade before my ability to really remember things kicks in. Sitting at the funeral gave me a good chance to learn things about my grandmother, hear funny stories, and see the genuine affection people held for her. The service was beautiful, and I left sure that it was dedicated to a beautiful lady. Just kinda wish I could have found that out earlier, but that was beyond anyone’s control.
Bad Things About Funerals
1. It’s a funeral. ‘Nuff said.
I’ll be back shortly, y’all. Just gotta get ready to teach the chilluns in the morning.
February 2, 2005
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