A PIPER - Puffer

**puffer** · 2nd June 09, 05:56 AM

The Bagpiper: a true story
As a young bagpiper, I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man, with no family or friends. The funeral was to be held at a cemetery way back in the counrty, and this man would be the first laid to rest there.

As I was not familiar with the backwoods area, I become lost and, being a typical man, did not stop for directions.

I finally arrived an hour late. I saw the backhoe and the crew, who were eating lunch, but the hearse was nowhere in sight.

I apologized to the workers for my tardiness, and stepped to the side of the open grave, where I saw the vault lid already in place. I assured the workers I would not hold them up for long, but this was the proper thing to do.

The workers gathered around, still eating their lunch.

I played out my heart and soul. As I played, the workers began to weep..

I played, and I played, like I'd never played before: From "My Home" and "The Lord is My Shepherd" to "Flowers of the Forest."

I closed the lengthy session with "Amazing Grace" and walked to my car. As I was opening the car door and taking off my coat, I overheard one of the workers saying to another, "Jesus, Mary 'n' Joseph, I never seen nothing like that before - and I've been putting in septic tanks for twenty years."

Puffer
_________________

**Dan R Porter** · 2nd June 09, 06:05 AM

I felt my heart beating faster and faster as I read...tears coming to my own eyes... and them "BAM!" you smacked me! Thanks for the lesson to toughen up!