The Funeral Part 3
The funeral was over. It was time to ride out to bury my brother. My friend and I decided to ride together, and break off from the group because we were hungry, thirsty, and mentally screwy. We stopped and got something to drink and a snack. As we arrived my Uncle was just getting into the scriptures for the burial. These scriptures and the approved interpretation of them weren’t as bad, but to non dubs…was still strange at best. Once this was over most people began to leave while I walked over and pulled a fingerful of hair from my head and tucked it into a seam in the casket. My friend reminded me to get a flower, so I searched until I found one unlike any other, unopened just as his life was unlived.
My other brother, his uncle, my friend, and a few more people stayed to see him laid to rest. I was asked if I wanted to work a shovel, at first I cringed, then I thought about it, it was only right that he be buried by loving hands, not those of a stranger. After he was lowered in, I walked over and took the links out of my cuffs, I was about to put them in my pocket, but as soon as I touched my pocket I realized what I was doing, rolling up my sleeves to bury my brother. I tossed them into the grave, making sure they hit the casket solid as if he could hear it. I’ve never cried so hard and as quietly as when I took a shovel in my hands and dug into the soft dirt. I could barely see as I tossed a large shovelful at the exact time as his other brother. I was saying over and over in my head, I love you and wish I could have saved you from this. Walking back to his ex girlfriend, the same one who was sobbing at the funeral was still inconsolable. I hugged her and looked in her eyes and told her to live every day like he sees you, make him proud of the life you live, that’s all you can do now.
My friend and I left to go see the truck he died in as well as the accident site. It was crazy hot and humid, so we wanted to change clothes. We went by to pick up her clothes and then went to my dad’s house. When we pulled up, there were a couple of cars I didn’t recognize, having been away so long. She asked who they were and I neither thought about the actual question nor knew who they were. Looking back she is still active and trying to keep everything ok with her family, who talks to mine. It was a d’oh moment for me because we walked in and there were more witnesses than could possibly fit in 2 cars. They all know her and me of course. We’ve been friends since she was 18, so it didn’t dawn on me even then. I showed her where she could change and then walked out and caught it…that look. So many looks, actually. The pity, the suspicion, the incredulity. How dare I show up unshaven? How worldly do you have to get to not be ashamed, because for the first time…I was far from ashamed. I was proud of myself and the fact that I cannot be used as an example of what goes wrong when you leave “The Truth”. My friend came out and she was bombarded with questions about her and her marriage. Like they even cared, the last time they said her name it was in reference to her choice to marry a worldly guy so she wouldn’t get in trouble again.
It always amazed me that no one ever got her. This time was no different. They may as well have asked the questions they really wanted to ask. So much was assumed, yet there was no reason for it. She has always been the most incredible person in character and honesty there could be. The one person I have ever met that I have wished I could be more like to such a degree. When I figured out what was happening I felt so horrible, here it had been 4 years since I saw her and the first thing I did was get her in a bind.
We left out of there to see everything, and she was smiling, so I felt better. She said what I felt; the worst thing is the pity they look at you with. There these people were, all witnesses with my dad and his wife WHO WAS PURCHASED, and they look at us with judgment and pity?
We went and saw everything, which made me feel better actually, it was obvious that he wasn’t doing anything wrong, and he didn’t suffer. She knew him very well, it’s another story all together and I hope she will be around to tell hers, so I’m skirting it on purpose.
I dropped her off; it took about 45 minutes total. Saying goodbye to her was difficult, so many things I wanted to say, years of love and thoughts all bunched up. It has always torn me apart to watch her leave or leave myself; this time wasn’t as bad, almost like I know it won’t be long before we see each other again. I managed to get out most of what I felt, and catch a glimpse in her eyes of something that has always been there, and yet I had always managed to miss so many times before. True friendship, the kind that you enjoy together as old people one day. The kind that makes you not dare to cross certain lines for fear you could screw it up for later. She knows who she is…she’s reading this…The One. I miss you every minute.
It is a very bittersweet thing to say goodbye to someone you truly love. For me it felt so good because I had all but given up on ever being back there. And now that she knew how I felt, really felt for her, no one could touch me.
But…they were about to try.