The Glad Undertaker
By zigzagbuddha
@zigzagbuddha (4601)
United States
August 21, 2008 5:19pm CST
The village I live in has a gas station, a small grocery store, and a funeral home. I have a few elderly neighbors around me and I couldn't help but notice that every time one of them has had an emergency trip to the hospital the next thing I know, there is the undertaker, jauntily sauntering up their front walk to chat and laugh with them like the ultimate good neighbor. It's pretty obvious that he is 'drumming up some business', and I certainly can't fault him for that, but I do wonder how the recipients of his visits feel? I think I'd have to tell him to get lost, I'm not dead yet!
Every time I see him I am reminded of one of my favorite songs in the whole entire big wide world and all of it's history too. It was written by Robin Williamson and performed by himself and the Incredible String Band, a Scottish band. The song is called Maya, and here is my favorite verse:
The great ship, the ship of the world
Long time sailing
Mariners, mariners, gather your skills
Jesus and Hitler and Richard the Lion Heart
Three kings and Moses and Queen Cleopatra
The Cobbler, the maiden
The mender and the maker
The sickener and the twitcher
And the glad undertaker
The shepherd of willows
The harper and the archer
All set down in one boat together
Troubled voyage in a calm weather.
Maya Maya
All this world is but a play
Be thou the joyful player
Anyway, it got me wondering if there are any joyful players out there in MyLot land. Are you one?
2 people like this
4 responses
@positiveminded1977 (7072)
• India
22 Aug 08
Ugh, if any creep undertaker dares comes to my door, I would chase him away, unless he is coming as a friend, of course. Right now, I don't have any undertaker friends, but I sure think it is a gloomy profession.
Well, I am in a joyful mood today. I spent a really looooooong time in the garden. I see only two tomatoes on the tomato plants, still I am happy. I planted some ladyfinger seeds two weeks back and not a single plant has come up, still I am happy. I just planted some more today and hoped for the best. I finally saw a papaya on a tree I had given up as "good for nothing." My **** neighbor was gaping at me again and chasing my cats again -- even that did not wreck my mood. Really it is great day -- my mind is quite alert today, I can really think, I know how to read and my brother has borrowed tons of William books for me from Sour Face's library, and I actually had fried fish for lunch again, with a couple of cats meowing around me. So yes, zigzag, I am a joyful player. Didn't this Williamson write that "life has no purpose" too?
Cheers and happy mylotting
2 people like this
@zigzagbuddha (4601)
• United States
22 Aug 08
What's especially funny, in a ghoulish sort of way, is that his mother - whose husband was also an undertaker - looks EXACTLY like a cadaver driving around in a big silver Mercedes!
Hahahaha.... every time I turn around you are writing something that makes me laugh out loud and fills me with love for you! I would not be surprised if one of these days you said to me, after hearing it for the umpteenth time, "Yes, I know you love me z, now shut the hell up about it!!" 
You have perfectly captured the essence of my post!!!!
You have perfectly captured the essence of my post!!!!2 people like this
@positiveminded1977 (7072)
• India
23 Aug 08
Oh dear, what a terrible way for any undertaker's mother to look!! I am sure she is blissfully unaware of it.
I am glad I can make you laugh. And I really love you so much for giving me that BR. :)
Cheers!
2 people like this
@zigzagbuddha (4601)
• United States
26 Aug 08
You love me for giving you the BR?!??!?! What about me myself? My wit? My intelligence? My good advice & counseling? My excellent taste in reading materials, hahahaha! Come on positive! You gotta love me for more than one friggin BR!!!
@zigzagbuddha (4601)
• United States
22 Aug 08
Most of my life I have lamented "Why do I always have to play the Fool?? Can't I just once be cool, suave, and sophisticated???" I no longer desire to be other than who I am... and I am too enthusiastic and adventurous to be sedate and in perfect control. So, from one Fool to another, I bid you good day!! May your life be 'fool' of laughter and high jinks!!!!!
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (169937)
• United States
21 Aug 08
What a hoot I hope the undertaker doesnt get alot of business and stays at bay.
I guess the elderly neigbors are making jokes about their visits with the undertaker. I try to notice ht humor in life. I dont know if you would call me a joyful player but I do try to always see the funny in a situation,
@calcynic (433)
• United States
23 Aug 08
The Incredible String Band!!! Wow...my sister...the only person I know that still owns a turntable, is the guardian of my vinyl. Over 1,000 albums, 3 of which are Incredible String Band. I honestly can't remember the titles, it's been so long, but I remember the song. I was always searching out the obscure, off the beaten path sights and sounds. Maybe thats why I had a long and satisfying relationship with LSD. I guess I consider myself a joyful player in a very strange play, though most of my audience think I'm more than a little nuts.
The glad undertaker should be a patient one; the business will eventually come his way, it's inevitable.
@zigzagbuddha (4601)
• United States
24 Aug 08
Never heard of that band you mentioned, but no one will ever take the place of the ISB for me, no one will even come close.
I carried on a long and satisfying relationship with LSD too!! I used to take acid by myself, since all my friends just wanted to sit around and look at the physical walls melting... I preferred to watch my mental walls melting.
