Friday, October 22, 2010

Living With The Dead

nokak thurston funeral home, n high st

In the spirit of spookiness during the month of October. ....

I have visited funeral homes, more than my fair share during my lifetime. Never a fun experience.

Well, except for THAT TIME.

1. My sister and her new husband lived in a small apartment.

2. While my brother in law worked on his Masters degree.

3. An opportunity presented itself, to live in a large (entire second floor) apartment in a beautiful old home for little or no rent.

4. Only one catch.

5. The beautiful old house was a funeral home.

6. And their job would be to help keep the downstairs clean, instead of paying a huge amount of rent.

7. Hmmmmm.........

8. My sister and brother in law decided why not?

9. The work wasn't hard.

10. And the neighbors would be quiet.

11. Right?

12. So, they found themselves vacuuming around "Mrs. Jones" as she quietly laid in the front room.

13. Or dusting the tables, where "Mr. Smith's" flowers were setting.

14. It was peaceful. And quiet. Good neighbors.

15. While they were living there-

16. My (late) husband and I visited, with our toddler son.

17. My husband was a bit freaked out.

18. I thought it was kind of cool, but I've always been kind of freaky that way.

19. Just as my husband and I were getting snuggled in bed  one night...

20. My sister pops her head in the door and says---

21. "Hey, don't worry about it if you hear the garage door opening tonight."

22. (The guest room we were in, was right over the garage.)

23. " That will just mean one of the guys that works here had to go pick up a body tonight."

24. Alrighty then.

25. And yes, we did hear the garage door that night.

26. And yes, my big, strong husband was totally freaked.

27. Mu wah ha ha!

28. On this same visit my son wanted a picture taken with his aunt.

29. As she parked a hearse.

30. How many people can say that?

31. Unless your family happens to be in the biz.

32. I also got a little tour of the embalming room.

33. Very clean.

34. In a stainless steel kind of a way.

35. This satisfied my desire for a little spookiness.

36. I know. I'm weird.

37. I couldn't be a funeral director.

38. I think it would get to me after awhile.

39. If I had to be there everyday.

40. But it was fun, to visit

41. Especially, since everyone that I loved at the funeral home...was alive.

42. That made everything so much better.

43. The fun all came to an end when my brother in law got his Masters degree.

44. Then he was off to get his PhD.

45. In another school, in another city.

46. The new apartment wasn't nearly as interesting.

47. The complex was a lot more crowded.

48. And the neighbors were a lot noisier.

49. Oh well.

50. It was fun while it lasted.

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