[MMC24]

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 Kentucky
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 hung low, my heart was full.
As I opened the door to my car, I heard one of the workers say, "I never
seen nothin' like that before and I've been putting in septic tanks for
twenty years."

Apparently, I'm still lost...