plain simple english
a polaroid picture
The room settled in around me. Clumsy cousins of other cousins sat side by side on cheap wooden pews, dressed in Sunday’s best for a Saturday evening wake.
Aunts with faces longer than their years cried and talked religion and swapped recipes.
I stood up. Forced myself down the rows.
A woman upholstered in her living room carpet fluttered by the coffin, pointed a Polaroid and clicked.
The picture slid out. Green and filmy. A dead man’s face.
I moved to the back of the parlor where mourners queued by a candled podium. To put pen to paper. To sign and say that they were there so they wouldn’t have to be anymore.
I waited, then drew my name.
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22 Responses to “a polaroid picture”
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Are you serious? How bad is that! And speaking of funerals, who would want the cryogenic thing! As if you’re going to have the body beautiful when you’re revived. Imagine the breath when the crogenicee breathes out “Wowwwww”. Someone told me you can have the cheaper version of only a head, not a body. That’s got to make you popular. I don’t even like to have my photo taken when I’m alive!. And at the risk of offending some new parents, don’t get me started on close ups of the birth canal.On a serious note, I’m sorry for who died, and that you went to a funeral, my sincere condolences, but really, a polaroid???
I think this must be a southern thing. Or maybe Appalachian. Not sure. But I never thought a thing about it in my life (a great aunt has albums full of such photos) until I mentioned it to a European friend who thought it questionable and ‘very Victorian’.
Reminds me of some of the words from Lyle Lovett’s song, “Family Reserve”:
And there was great Uncle Julius and there was Aunt Annie Miller
And Mary and Grandaddy Paul
And there was Hannah and Ella and Alvin and Attic
And he owned his own funeral home
And there are more I remember and more I could mention
Than words I could write in this song
But I feel them watching and I see them laughing
And I, I hear them singing along
Chorus:
And we’re all gonna be here forever
So Mama don’t you make such a stir
Put down that camera
And come on and join up
The last of the family reserve
Brilliant. It reminds me of my granddad’s funeral ..
I’d sign my name right quick, in that case!
Yes, Buffy, it’s a Southern thing and someone needs to put a stop to it.
How direct, how honest, how “real”. A few weeks ago (3 to be exact, a VERY dear friend passed away with no nothing to guide us. He was so good a freind to people they paid for his cremation, his final service, and paid tribute at meetings to his name and memory!
To leave this earth as “loved” as he was should be every person’s goal.
there is no truth to the term, “a wasted life” , unless YOU make it so!!!
-30-
Iwant to be made into a giant acylic paper weight sat on my motorbike
Terry dude, I can hook you up.
Why is it ghastly and why does someone need to put a stop to it right now singlemuslimah? A lot of cultures have traditions that may seem unsavory to others. But as long as no one is hurt and as long as things are being done in a respectful manner, I don’t see the harm. People have done this for years even, like Buffy says, the Victorians in Europe. It’s tradition and rememberance and it’s not done in a malicious way and I think its one of the things that makes the south so interesting. (and no I’m not from the south)
Awesome blog! Just wanted to drop a note to say I dropped by!
i was just at a sad funeral…
I’m so glad you have those little labels at the top of each post so that I can be like “Whew, fiction.” But yeah its ver Southern to take pics, I never thought it was odd till I moved North.
That was beautiful, Buffy. Just beautiful.
this is a beautiful piece
I’ve only seen this once, from a southern funeral.
That is such a strange tradition!
LOVE the phrase “drew my name”…
Love your post, Buffy. You have a beautiful way with words.
Wonderful, Buffy. Many of your lines described most every wake (we call them visitations) I’ve been to.
Although I can’t recall anyone ever taking a picture.
“A woman upholstered in her living room carpet”
I love that!
It is a strange tradition, come to think of it. Signing of our names. But Oh, how I have done it.
Beautiful, Buff. : )
OMG! I have a great aunt that does that…takes pictures of everyone’s funeral….she dates it and puts it in a “special” photo album. When my father died she came to do that as well. I think my mom almost freaked out! Funny thing though, she dates a calender to show when people get married and then counts down the months to see if they were pregnant before they wed!