The bagpiper

[PaulT]

Bagpiper

As a bagpiper, I play many gigs. Recently, I was asked by a

funeral director to play at a graveside service for a

homeless man. He had no family or friends, so the service

was to be at a pauper's cemetery in the Kentucky back

country.

As I was not familiar with the 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 bad 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 was opening the door to my car, I heard one of the

workers say, "I never seen nothin' like that before, and

I've been putting in septic tanks for twenty years."

Why can't men just ask for directions?