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My grandfather, who lived in New Mexico, had been sick since 96 with
various ailments. This past December he contracted pneumonia
and was in the hospital for a week or so when my family decided it
was time to let him go.
Because I live in Maryland, I was unable to be with the family. I
did hop a plane the next day, and the funeral was scheduled for a
few days after that. My mother insisted that her father be buried
without embalming. This left us on a tight schedule for the
arrangements.
Since my grandfather served in WWII, my uncle tried to get some
soldiers to the funeral for the flag and a piper for Amazing Grace.
He thought on Friday everything was taken care of, but come Monday,
we found out that there wasn't enough time to get the soldiers and
in rural New Mexico no one even knew what a piper was. I had no idea
this had happened until I heard someone yelling "How are we going to
get someone to play bagpipes for Daddy now?" I ran and grabbed my
trusty iPod, plugged it in, and spun up The Rogues' Amazing Grace.
Astonished looks crossed the room as no one had any idea where the
pipes were coming from. I told them I'd overheard the problem, and I
had them covered. And so The Rogue's played Amazing Grace through my
uncle's truck radio for my grandfather's funeral.
I would have preferred you all in person, but with the short
notice I don't think that would've happened. I do make an effort to
see you all every year at the Crownsville Faire in Maryland and have
for as many years as I can recall. The Rogues always play in our
cars on the way to every faire we visit and every morning on the way
to school my 3 year old daughter and 2 year old son ask for the
pipes (and my daughter knows if it isn't the Rogues).
Thank you all very much for you music and for saving my
grandfather's funeral.
Erin Kendall |
