THE LONE BAGPIPER. . . .

[Phil Perry]

Lay down what’s bothering you, breath in the fresh air

 

and LISTEN to this story.

 

Time is like a river. You cannot touch the water twice, because the flow

 

that has passed will never pass again. 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've never

 

seen anything like that before, and I've been putting in septic tanks for

 

twenty five years."

 

Apparently, I'm still lost. . . .