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The Funeral

Barbara Villemez

    They filed past the open casket with brief sidelong glances; some cried, sniffled into tissues, or wiped their eyes. Others with quiet introspection paused to gaze at the old woman lying inside.
    The dim lighting and flickering candles cast a soft glow on the surroundings. The flowers, all colors and shapes grouped on either side, filled the space with a rich, sweet fragrance adding a surreal touch of gaiety. The room was large and filled with burgundy plush seating scattered randomly. Gold lamps and sconces completed the formal funeral parlor look. The casket was placed at one end of the room close to a wall.
    People stood in small clusters whispering in quiet voices. Sadness wafted through the air like a soft gray cloud, landing on first one than the other. This old woman had been an important part of many lives. As such, the turnout for the viewing was huge with many people of different ages and generations paying their respects.
    People had been arriving and leaving in controlled chaos all evening. Some only saw each other at weddings and funerals. They tended to connect with hugs, kisses and handshakes. They came from near and far. Aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, old friends, young friends, they were all here. They came to grieve the death and celebrate the life of the old woman.
    She had always been there for them. It was as if she had no life of her own. As if her life had been dedicated to taking care of others. Each one present had benefited in different ways from knowing Emma. Their stories were known to many in the community. And they were proud of their association with this old woman; the good she had done not only for them, but for many others. Her kindness and compassion was known by all who were here, so they came to show their love and respect.
    No one noticed the shadowy figure leaning against the wall nodding and smiling as each person filed by the casket.
    She appeared young, perhaps in her twenties, dressed in the era of the 1940’s. She said to her companion, “Oh look, there’s John Ratcliff. I haven’t seen him in years. He’s holding up pretty good for his age.”
    Several women stopped close by and whispered in quiet tones.
    One of the women leaned closer, “She looks peaceful, doesn’t she?”
    The other women nodded.
    “It’s a shame she never married.”
    One shrugged, “I know, but she had a good life. What would we all have done if she hadn’t been around to help with our kids. God knows, she took care of mine when they were young and never asked for anything in return.”
    The figure watched and listened as the women talked. It was Pat, her sister Betty and their friend Millie.
    Betty said, “I heard from mama that Aunt Emma had a lover, when she was in her twenties.”
    Millie raised an eyebrow. “Really, I don’t think I ever heard that story.”
    Betty continued. “Well, it was hush, hush in the family. Mama said that she fell in love with a fellow she met when she went to teacher’s college. He enlisted in the war and was killed over there in Europe. They were engaged before he left and he gave her a ring. There was also a rumor that she was pregnant and miscarried. She was pretty torn up over his death and went away for a few months. That’s probably when she had the miscarriage. She went to Dallas to stay with a friend. Mama said she had a nervous breakdown after he died. She came back after a few months and finished her degree.”
    Millie asked, “Do you think that she was secretly married?”
    “I don’t think so. Mama said she never collected any money from the government as far as she knew. I think the Army gave widows some insurance if their husbands were killed in the war. I don’t really know, I was just a kid then. I think it was World War Two, but it could have been the Korean War, y’all. Mama said she never talked about him again.” Betty gave a sigh. “That’s so romantic.”
    “What’s going to happen to her things? Is your Mama going to have a garage sale after the estate is settled?” Betty smiled and said to her companion, “Millie loves to go to garage sales. Her house had been almost totally furnished from garage sales.”
    Millie shrugged and said in a defensive tone, “I’m on a budget and sometimes it’s the only way I can get things I need. I don’t mind other people’s castoffs. I’ve found some really good stuff at garage sales.”
    Pat said, “Mama told me that Aunt Emma’s ring was going to Charley’s little girl. You know, the one named after her. She always wore that ring. I don’t think anyone ever saw her without it. You know now that I think about it, that ring could have been the engagement ring that fellow gave her.”
    Betty interjected. “Mama said she was very attractive when she was young, but never dated. Guys would ask her out, but she always turned them down. I guess she just had that one true love in her life and was never interested in anyone else. That sounds romantic, but it had to be lonely. Though, she taught school until she retired and always was willing to take everyone’s kids. She babysat for me many times and never would take any money. She always said, it was fun taking care of the little ones.”
    Millie rolled her eyes, “Can you believe her cat’s being buried with her?”
    Pat shrugged, “Well, she loved that old cat.”
    Millie looked around then whispered, “My husband knows old Doc Griffin and he told Ray that the cat and Emma died about the same time. It’s like one didn’t want to go without the other. It was lying on Emma’s stomach when they found them. You know that cat was almost thirty years old. It was pretty decrepit.”
    Betty said, “y’all know the story about that old cat, don’t you? Pat nodded and Millie shook her head. “Mama said the cat was found crawling on the highway outside of town. Someone had thrown a bag of newborn kittens on the side of the road. They were all dead except this one.”
    Millie was indignant, “That’s awful. I just don’t know how someone could be so cruel.”
    Betty continued, “Aunt Emma fed that cat with an eyedropper and it became her constant companion. She used to bring it to school and let the children pet it.”
    “Still, it’s a little creepy having your cat buried with you.” Millie gave a little shudder and looked down at the small bundle in the coffin.
    “Mama said that Doc Griffin and her lawyer, old man Stanley, conferred and decided to do it if mama, as her closet kin, agreed. Mama thought that Emma would want that, since she’d put in her will that if she died before the cat, that mama would take it. She said it was right and proper that the cat be buried with Emma because she loved it so.”
    “I don’t think the preacher liked it too much. He thought it was a pagan practice.” Betty put her hand to her mouth to hide a smile.
    Millie grinned, “He’s Southern Baptist, they think everything fun is a pagan practice.”
    Pat gave a soft chuckle. “I don’t think the Reverend Baker would know a pagan practice if it bit him.”
    “I still think its creepy seeing that little bundle next to her.” Millie turned toward the door.
    Betty and Pat followed her to the front entrance.
    “Millie, are we still playing bridge on Thursday?”
    Millie stopped and turned around. “It’s supposed to be at Angie’s house this week, but I saw her daughter at Safeway and she said her mother was sick. I guess I’d better call her. I’ll find out and let everyone know, okay?”
    Pat said, “Good, call me.”
    The women went out the door, waved and hurried to their cars.
    The figure walked to the door and watched them leave. She stepped back as several men approached.
    “I remember Emma when she was in her early thirties. She was a great looking woman. Good figure and a set of tits on her that were mighty fine. No one could get a date with her though, some story about a lost love. She’d just smile and say she was busy.”
    The second man said, “I remember when that lawyer, Pitcock, came to town. He was divorced and hot for her. Really went after her. She’d be nice, but she’d turn him down every time. He’s the one that started that rumor that she was some kind of lesbian. Nasty fellow. He didn’t do well and was gone inside a year.”
    The men stepped out on the small porch.
    “Jim, it was good seeing you again. You should come to town more often.”
    “Well, you know Ginny’s been pretty sick lately. That’s why she wasn’t here tonight. I don’t know if she’ll be at the funeral tomorrow, but I’ll be there. She’s having a lot of pain in her hip. Looks like she’s going to have to have a transplant.”
    “Do you mean a hip replacement?”
    “Yeah, something like that. She’ll be eighty next month and I worry about her having an operation.”
    “Who’s her doctor?”
    “Barone, he’s an orthopedic doctor in Dallas.”
    “Yeah, I’ve heard of him. Supposed to have a good reputation.”
    They continued talking as they walked away from the building.
    The figure returned to the room and saw a young woman kneeling in front of the casket, tears streaming down her cheeks. She was praying.
    A couple standing close by watched her. The man turned to his wife, “Who’s that.”
    “Oh, that’s Nancy Ogle. Emma took her in when her parents died about ten years ago in that murder suicide thing. She didn’t have any other relatives and you know Emma. She couldn’t bear for the girl to go into a foster home. She lived with Emma for a few years and then Emma paid her tuition to college. I bet she left something to Nancy in her will. Emma was a good woman. She lived a simple life, always helping someone. She’ll be missed by a lot of people.”
    The young woman brushed away her tears, rose and went out, stopping to say a few words to a group by the door.
    People began moving out of the room, talking to friends and relatives as they left. Some tarried a little longer, gazing at the woman lying in the casket.
    Bessie looked on Emma’s face one last time. She brought her fingers to her lips, kissed them and placed them on Emma’s lips.
    “Goodbye, dear sister. Goodbye, Emma darling.”
    She turned and walked away.
    The figure stood against the wall and watched as everyone left. The silence was palpable, a hiss from a flickering candle as melted wax ran down into the sconce was the only sound.
    The figure went to the casket and looked down on the old woman.
    “Goodbye, old woman. I have no regrets for how I lived my life. My friends and family may feel that my life was wasted, but I know that my life in this world was fulfilled in many ways, maybe not by other’s values. I have to say that I achieved a sense of contentment over the years. My greatest joy was with the children. But my obligations for this life are through. I’m not going to miss you, even though we had a good, and as the lady said, a simple life together. She leaned down and gently kissed the lips of the old woman.”
    Standing she smiled broadly and clapped her hands, “Come on Muffin. We’ve got places to go, someone special to see and things to do.”
    With a bounce to her step and Muffin, prancing with tail held high, they faded into the wall. They were gone, both anxious to start their new adventure. And if one looked closely in the coffin there appeared a slight smile on the face of the old woman lying there.

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