Wednesday, January 25, 2006

Another "Telling" lol

I did an entry awhile back called "The Telling's" it was about old family stories that have been passed down from one generation to the next. This entry will be about a family story that is sure to be passed down from this generation forward! lol

I come from a large, rather loud, rather obnoxious, Irish Family....it's a blessing and a curse! lol We love each other unconditionally and only we are allowed to talk about each other behind each other's backs! lol lol lol  We create laughter were ever we go and have adopted more and more people into our family......we recruit strangers were ever we go, we are a lively bunch in public!(lol) Even in death our charm and wit are apparent! An Irish wake is never mournful, it is a get-together to celebrate their life, tell stories, take 'hits' off the family flask (lol) and it always ends up at a pub! lol

This is a telling of Uncle Emmett's funeral.............This was a man who told it like it was and never had a kind word for anybody, he always told you the truth whether you were ready to hear it or not! He was one of my favorites! lol

He lived a hard life and died an even harder death, he had lung cancer. Did he stop smoking? No, he didn't think their was a reason too, although he did quit boozing after my Father's early death at the age of 41, he felt guilty. My dad was the oldest sibling and Emmett was a true Irish twin, less then 12 months between them. They gave my Grandmother every gray hair she had. They were the sinners, while her other 5 were the saints of the family.

Since my Uncle knew of is upcoming death, he planned his own funeral. Nobody could ever tell this man what to do anyway! He picked out his funeral home, he picked out his mass cards, he picked out his casket and he picked out what he was to buried in. He chose a very nice suit. He hated suites, he wouldn't be caught alive in one but thought it was necessary to wear one after his death. He chose the shoes, the shirt, and the tie.  The tie is where he got the last word, literally! lol

There he laid, in all his glory for everyone to view him, say a kind word about him or tell the truth about him. He looked very dapper in his suit, almost proper! lol  It wasn't until you actually went up to say a prayer for him or forgive him for his many trespasses against you that you noticed the tie. At first when you looked at it, it was a very nice tie, light gray with a black print on it. But, In his horizontal position you actually got to read the tie..........there in tiny print were the words "F*** YOU" written all over it! lol He did get the last word after all........."You didn't give a rats ass about me when I was alive, so why the tears now!" God I miss that man! lol lol lol


 


to view the first "telling" click on link ~~>  "The Telling"

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

I would have loved him......in fact, there are days, I wished I could be JUST like him !  lol

Anonymous said...

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Anonymous said...

I love this story.
My anchestors come from Ireland and Germany...............
very very colorful characters.............
I think I would have liked your Uncle very much.
He sounds like my uncles....

Anonymous said...

lmao...that sounds so like something my husband would do...lmao.....

Kelly

Anonymous said...

now there's a man who understood life better then most... he knew how hard funerals would be on those left behind and tried to do something to make it easier..   I don't blame you for missing someone like that!   Great story!! thanks for sharing it

Anonymous said...

OMG could we be from the same family???  My dad's parents were "immigrants" to America straight from Ireland and that's exactly how he says they all were.  I unfortunately never got to meet my grandparents or aunts and uncles because they all passed either before I was born or shortly thereafter.  My dad was 52 when I lost him to lung cancer and he was the epitomy of an Irish man, down to regular brawls all the way up until he became too sick to go "pub hoping" lol.  I was only 8 when he passed but that is where my "redish" tint comes from, my temper (according to my mother) and my loudness (again according to my mother, lol).  There is another example of parallel lives for ya!!! Love ya! Brandy

P.S. Glad you are back!!!

Anonymous said...

That is definately one way to get the last word in!!!! And what a word!!!!!!!! lol...... too funny!!! http://journals.aol.com/shayshaydc/Golfaholic
Sharon:)

Anonymous said...

hi..what a grand finale..funny too.
Ann
http://journals.aol.com/urbannote/saysomething

Anonymous said...

LOL!  Reminds me of my mother when she died.  She always use to tell me that she didn't want people who didn't give her the time of day, or treated her badly during life, to be crying and carrying on at her funeral.  She had told me, "I swear, Jackie, if there is any way I can do it,  I will sit up and spit in their eye!"  
Well.. without going into a bunch of detail, that's just what she did.  She didn't raise up, but her lips puckered and it was as if she were trying to blow air out of her mouth as 'certain' people looked down at her in her casket.  Of course the 'people' freaked out, and of course the mortuary had an explaination for why she was doing that.  They said "we must not have gotten all the air out of her abdominal area and so it's escaping the only way it can."   Yeah, okay.  Whatever.  I still think my mom was getting the "last word" in there! lol

We are Irish, also! :)

Jackie.
http://journals.aol.com/siennastarr/Waitingtoexhale/

Anonymous said...

I love, Love, LOVE your Tellings!

Anonymous said...

My grandma was Irish, and I know exactly what you mean about the wakes; Irish folk are tough people; love your entry's.~Diane~

Anonymous said...

That was a funny story.  I come from a very large, loud German family.  Gatherings are always very interesting with the conversations including both German and English.  It's very hard to keep track of.  I think everyone should plan their own funeral.  That's one no one will forget.  What a way to make an exit.  As of today, I have not heard anything from the coffee shop.  I'm a little disappointed, but oh well.  Thanks for commenting.  I would love to talk with you sometime.  I haven't posted much lately.  I've been going through some pretty rough times at home.  Take care.  Michelle

Anonymous said...

OMG!  He WAS something...........wasn't he?

Anonymous said...

Lord love the Irish! Where I was raised it was all Irish/Italian with a few Jewish families thrown in, oh forgot the Germans too....but the traditions of all were really something.  Your Uncle sounded like a real hoot...Sandi

Anonymous said...

Cute story lilchit. Paula

Anonymous said...

what a great story!
Marti

Anonymous said...

Please, I want some more, to quote Oliver Twist.
Marti