As a bagpiper from Leeds, I play many gigs. Recently I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man,here in the Vienne.
He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper's cemetery in the French countryside.
As I was not familiar with the local backwoods, I got lost and, being a typical man, I didn't stop for directions.
I finally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral guy had evidently gone and the hearse was nowhere in sight. There were only the diggers and crew left and they were eating lunch.
I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late. I went to the side of the grave and looked down and the vault lid was already in place. I didn't know what else to do, so I started to play.
The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around. I played out my heart and soul for this man with no family and friends.
I played like I've never played before for this homeless man.
And as I played 'Amazing Grace,' the workers began to weep. They wept, I wept, we all wept together. When I finished I packed up my bagpipes and started for my car. Though my head hung low, my heart was full.
As I opened the door to my car, I heard one of the workers say, "I've never seen anything like that before and I've been putting in Septic Tanks for twenty
years."!
Bruce, what a great story....... Thank you for lightening my day
Wonderful- great moment. Would make a great short movie. We really DO have a bagpiper from London who has bought a house in our Breton village- but we have lots of pipers already.
Thus meaning that the French brain can accept an English bagpiper playing Amazing Grace over a newly installed septic tank as being perfectly NORMAL ...?????
Oh My! I am roaring with laughter - oh superb - so glad you posted this and so glad I read it. I will be passing it on to my crowd with your name. Thanks so much.
This one is going to be doing the rounds I think!
Bruce great shaggy do storey, kept it going to the end. I may borrow that story.
Excellent!!!
I translated this for my mates at last nights boules night. The piper was of course Breton. They nearly wet themselves. It's probably all over the village by now.
vic
A Royal Marine Buglar told me exactly the same story about 10 years ago.
Oh Bruce, this was such a great story. On an wet an dismal day like today, you were a ray of sunshine. Both my husband and I let out great belly laughs.............. thank you for sharing that.
OMG! The joys of being female!!! Not sure there is an age to this, difficult births cause all sorts of long term problems.................too early in the morning for that one!
haha! believe me Jane...I know...(also, not from personal experience, but Ive been a nurse since 1972...so come across a lot of these over the years!) but these problems were overcome a decade or two ago....seems a bit superfluous to be mentioning these days.
Just what I neede this wet grey miserable morning thank you!
Carol, if you'd had the bad luck to need these sort of things in the 80's (I'm talking relatives here, I'm only 44) then you would know that they used to 'rustle' when you walked due to the plastic liner.
I REALLY liked that one! Got me going a treat!
OK, folks...I used a bit of poetic licence with the bagpipes bit, but I DO come from Leeds! The Tena thing is a kind of IPad, Keith (the I meaning incontinent!).
after the tears lots and lots of laughter... :)
I reckon the poor, deceased man was laughing in his grave as well. I certainly would have been.
I dont think they would be interchangeable though Keith!
Best laugh I,ve hadin a while