- Oct 3, 2007
- 1,539
A bagpiper was asked by his parish priest to play at the funeral of a homeless man who had died with no friends, no family, etc...he was being buried in a potter's field a few towns over in a rural area. The piper wasn't familiar with the area, but he decided to do it anyway. He got turned around at one point and was running later and later so he didn't stop for directions. He kept driving and driving until finally he came upon the gravesite. He was dismayed to see that there was no one there-the hole was dug and the concrete vault had already been lowered in and covered. The priest and funeral director were long gone. As he got out of his car he saw that the workmen were eating lunch before filling in the grave. He walked over to them, apologized profusely for being so late, and readied his pipes.
He felt terrible for being so late and not being there for the service, so he poured his heart and soul into the performance. He played the best version of "Amazing Grace" of his life. When he was finished he wept, the workmen wept, and he said a prayer for the homeless man. As he was packing up his pipes and getting ready to leave, feeling that he'd properly honored the man's memory, he heard one of the workmen say to the other, "20 years of installing septic tanks and I've never seen anything like that..."
He felt terrible for being so late and not being there for the service, so he poured his heart and soul into the performance. He played the best version of "Amazing Grace" of his life. When he was finished he wept, the workmen wept, and he said a prayer for the homeless man. As he was packing up his pipes and getting ready to leave, feeling that he'd properly honored the man's memory, he heard one of the workmen say to the other, "20 years of installing septic tanks and I've never seen anything like that..."
