Timely Contemplation

Ideally, the clergyman officiating at a funeral can speak knowledgeably of the deceased from personal acquaintance, like Pastor Olsen at Fiorella's mother's funeral several years ago. But he was twenty years younger than Fio's parents.

Things are different when when people outlive their clerical relationships.

At Mrs. Paule's burial service, the young whippersnapper of a rabbi, obviously at something of a loss, said he didn't know Mrs. Paule well but had heard she liked to play cards. Thus a woman Fio regarded as a second mother, a woman who was warm and loving and accomplished a lot in life, was reduced to a card shark in death.

At Miss Osborn's funeral, the youngster officiating had the effrontery to refer to Waco High's iconic Latin teacher as "Sister Elor" and mispronounce her name in the bargain. Fio fully expected Miss O to rise from coffin, rebuke him with one of her trademark stares, and state, "It's Miss Osborn to you, young man!"

The clergyman officiating at Fio's father's recent funeral had never met him. Pastor Olsen had moved on and the replacement knew Dad, whom Fio and Brother had moved to a nursing home near them, only from church records.

But what about Fio, when her time comes? She's always pictured Pastor Gronberg, who knows her, conducting the rites. But he's not much younger than she is and may shuffle off this mortal coil long before she requires his services.

No smart-mouthed wind-up to this one. Guess she'll just have to take luck of the draw.