A bagpiper's lament

[Pheroze]

Enjoy every moment of life. 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 Nova Scotia 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 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 was hung low, my heart was full. As I opened the door to my car, I heard one of the workers say, "I never seen anything like that before, and I've been putting in septic tanks for twenty years."

Apparently, I'm still lost ... it's a man thing.

 

[WAB]

Pheroze, that is truly hilarious! Are you really from NS? My wife is a Bluenoser and both of my sons are Herring Chokers. UNB grad myself.

 

[CAustin]

Good one!

 

[sestoppelman]

You had me going there guy! My brother is a piper, are you a piper or was that just for the joke?

 

[Pheroze]

Thanks guys. A friend sent me the joke.

Love the east coast, funny story about me trying to match drinks with my friend from Cape Breton - Us Ontarians are not blessed with the same kind of liver and I am still detoxing 24 years later. I love bagpipes too....but alas, I am a musical failure...

 

[Timbo]

I like the pipes - they stir the blood!! But I completely lost it when I read someone's definition of pipe music:

"The bagpipes sound like an oboe that's been kicked in the balls!!"

 

[BeeMaa]

Apparently, I'm still lost ... it's a man thing.

Had me going, but I didn't figure you for a piper.
That was the only sticker...but it was a good one.

 

[sestoppelman]

The pipes are an amazing instrument. I have an old recording of Amazing Grace being played on the pipes along with the Royal Scots Dragoon Guard band. I cry every time I hear it.