Reminiscing

[curiouswombat]

An incident in the Churches' Bookshop a couple of weeks ago reminded me of something in my past, and I have told this to a few people since, to find that some are appalled and others laughed.

See what you think...

Comments

[enigmaticblues]

Actually, I probably would have laughed, too.

[curiouswombat]

You are clearly a person after my own heart!

We laughed at the card buying as much because it occurred to us the confusion we could have caused if we had just assumed he must, therefore, be dead - and passed this information on!

[slaymesoftly]

I snorted, but I was suitably appalled at myself. :)

[curiouswombat]

The perfect response!!

[lindahoyland]

I keep in cards for various occasions but not sympathy cards, though I agree it is very practical.

[curiouswombat]

I make cards for sale in church sometimes, and we used to have a lady who bought all the sympathy cards, just in case.

Like you I have a selection of cards at the ready, too. There is something nice about those cards on the mantelpiece.

[evelyn_b]

I have several sympathy cards, not because I'm particularly expecting anyone to die, but because I know I'll need them at some point. I don't think I'd feel quite comfortable buying one in advance for a specific person, but your story reads as funny to me and not appalling.

The request to fill out the death certificate ahead of time is funny, too, but an understandable attempt to save some trouble. I mean, you can always just cut it up in case of a last-minute recovery.

[curiouswombat]

It was the specificity that amused us too - and the awful thought that we might have just assumed it meant he had died - and told other people - and sent a card ourselves straight away!

The fill it in death certificate would have been one way around the problem of buses over Christmas - but it was also illegal :)

Waiting until after the holidays, should she die during them, was the simplest answer, really :)

[thismaz]

I'm with dawtheminstrel, a 'how awful' response smacks of some form of magical superstition. A private giggle is the only possible reaction.

I kind of admire the sister's practical naïvety *g* But it is the priest who is the hero of the story (excluding your good selves, of course.)

[curiouswombat]

We did keep our giggles until later :)

Oh yes! Practical naïvety is the perfect description.

The priest was, certainly, the hero - he was a lovely man, practical as well as spiritual. I can remember him helping dish out meals when things were really busy, too.