Update Update -- Funeral
I got up and showered (first time in two weeks -- but i finally got a haircut a week ago), put on my suit (first time in ten years,, still wont wear a tie. Suit fit surprisingly well) My daughters came by. I told them i wanted to drive myself. Older daughter had already paid for the singer and officiators so i wrote her a check. Then i drove the five miles to the church and waited for our friends to show up.
There was a surprise show and several unexpected absences, but i have become enough of a Taoist to expect the unexpected and not be thrown by it. I will have to look up a few people, however, to make sure they are o.k. There were 26 people, one-third family, one-half friends, and four other church members or strangers. I gave the eulogy, did not use my written text and improvised a bit (all to the good, i think). (You guys were right, it went over big.). A very satisfying service.
I say nothing about the homily or eucharist because i heard barely five words of it. I caught Dianne's name mentioned a couple of times. It was much worse than the Temple Grandin lecture, and though my hearing aids are on the blink, i am certain that my hearing has deteriorated greatly in the last two years, I have an appointment with my audiologist in two weeks.
The church is cavernous and was nearly empty and i must have had the worst seat in the house accoustically. Every body else seemed to hear fine and said the whole service was lovely. And the fact that i could not hear did not bother me.
I could hear the music just fine. The pianist played "On Eagles Wings." and couple of other funereally appropriate melodies. She did not play "Morning is Breaking" which i had requested. Perhaps she does not know it?
I have always had trouble recognizing people when i see them, even old friends, famous people (except Jennifer Annison) and family members. Since i first heard about Face Blindness a few years ago i have wondered if i don't have at least a touch of it.
A man and woman came in whom i did not recognize. They were with a couple that i did recognize because of the man's enormous height and bulk and beard, and i recognized his wife because she was with him and because of her characteristic attitude and emotionalism. But who were these other people? I strained to figure out who they were; i thought i should know them. The woman i did know grabbed me and hugged me as i knew she would. The man i knew shook my hand and said: "and of course you know who this is." I didn't. I looked at his height and build and decided he must be J, one of the leaders of the local church that i had a relationship with. So i tried out the name, J and the reply was no, M. M! a collegue that i had had taught with, talked with, partied with and argued with for over thirty years, a dear friend. Suddenly his face was recognizable. And, as for his wife standing beside him, it was as if an unseen sculptor was moulding her face from a female prototype in front of my eyes! This experience was repeated with variations several times this morning.