N Town - part three
It wasn't as cold in Norwich as I had thought it was going to be. There was a mad scramble the weekend before we left to make sure that all of us had the proper attire.
Now, I'm walking around the funeral home with the Chicken and hoping that I don't slip on any ice still left on the ground.
The Chicken is still asking for her Mommy but she seems to be okay with me for now.
We find a snow plow out back and take a look at that for a while. We also find a little patch of snow still on the ground and the Chicken squeals with delight. She has read about snow but this is the first time she's ever seen it.
I make about seven laps around the funeral home before I start seeing people coming out. I thought that it was going to be a full mass but only 25 minutes have gone by.
I take the Chicken back inside and find the Commander.
I look at her with the question clearly on my face - "What's going on?"
"Don't ask. The priest has some problems and might be a little senile. Here, give me the Chicken."
Once again, I'm back to just hanging out and going with the flow. I stand outside the room where Big Daddy is and a guy my age starts taking to me.
"Are you part of the group that came out from California?"
"Yeah, I got in last night." I'm not sure who I'm talking to.
"Did you have a direct flight?"
"Yeah, it was nice. I flew into Boston and drove out here." Is this one of the Commander's relatives.
"That's really nice that you came out for this. I mean, that's a pretty long trip."
"Yeah, but he was pretty important to us and we wanted to be here for this." I got it. He's not a relative.
He's the "& Sons" part of the sign out front.
I end the conversation and look into the room where Big Daddy is. Two men have removed the American flag and are now in the process of folding it correctly.
I step back and watch as the family makes plans for lunch. We have a room at a restaurant called "Mona Lisa" in about an hour.
I'm standing there with the Commander and my father-in-law when his brother approaches him with the folded flag.
He hands the flag to my father-in-law and says "This belongs to you know."
It's a touching moment. I look at the Commander.
She's crying again.
VW
Now, I'm walking around the funeral home with the Chicken and hoping that I don't slip on any ice still left on the ground.
The Chicken is still asking for her Mommy but she seems to be okay with me for now.
We find a snow plow out back and take a look at that for a while. We also find a little patch of snow still on the ground and the Chicken squeals with delight. She has read about snow but this is the first time she's ever seen it.
I make about seven laps around the funeral home before I start seeing people coming out. I thought that it was going to be a full mass but only 25 minutes have gone by.
I take the Chicken back inside and find the Commander.
I look at her with the question clearly on my face - "What's going on?"
"Don't ask. The priest has some problems and might be a little senile. Here, give me the Chicken."
Once again, I'm back to just hanging out and going with the flow. I stand outside the room where Big Daddy is and a guy my age starts taking to me.
"Are you part of the group that came out from California?"
"Yeah, I got in last night." I'm not sure who I'm talking to.
"Did you have a direct flight?"
"Yeah, it was nice. I flew into Boston and drove out here." Is this one of the Commander's relatives.
"That's really nice that you came out for this. I mean, that's a pretty long trip."
"Yeah, but he was pretty important to us and we wanted to be here for this." I got it. He's not a relative.
He's the "& Sons" part of the sign out front.
I end the conversation and look into the room where Big Daddy is. Two men have removed the American flag and are now in the process of folding it correctly.
I step back and watch as the family makes plans for lunch. We have a room at a restaurant called "Mona Lisa" in about an hour.
I'm standing there with the Commander and my father-in-law when his brother approaches him with the folded flag.
He hands the flag to my father-in-law and says "This belongs to you know."
It's a touching moment. I look at the Commander.
She's crying again.
VW
posted by JVW at 10:57 AM
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