World Enough and Time

Harry's funeral was this morning. It was a hot and sunny day, which doesn't seem right. Isn't it always raining and cold at funerals, in all the movies?

I gave the first eulogy, telling about my first meeting with Harry when we were both five. Victor talked about Harry's participation in their RPG group over thirty years, and John talked about knowing Harry in the Union. Larry Stewart (The Doctor, wearing a TARDIS pin on his sober dark suit) gave a delightfully entertaining talk about how Harry was the nicest man he'd ever known, and the Rabbi gave a summation about how Harry had so many good friends and a good life and how important his love for Sheila was.

After my part of the eulogy, I read this poem by Mary Elizabeth Frye, which Sharon Fall ( sent for inclusion... )

I was in the limo with Sheila, Tasia, Peter, and Sheila's son, Bruce - whose wife couldn't be there because his kids are sick. We went to the grave, and watched the casket lowered, and each of us took a turn shovelling on the earth onto it. I saw and spoke to a lot of people whom I'd hoped to see - Donna and Jim, Janet, Joel, John Park, StarWolf, Pierre, Peggy, Linda. The we went back to Sheila's place to eat and talk, about 25 people, with coming and going. Marcelle was helping with the food preparation (with Diana), but felt unwell, and so went home. Thanks to Joseph I had coffee laced with Baileys - I'm turning into quite the drinker. I talked quite a bit with Linda Balke, Joseph, a bit with Pierre - talking to him always feels like a blast from the past; one of my friends said in wonder, "He looks like a banker now!" Sadly, Sheila and Sandi had a big fight on Monday, so Sandi and Pat weren't even at the funeral. I think this is terrible. They were Harry's nearest and dearest friends for so many years - and as far as I can tell, the fight was over nothing. Just grief-induced stress that got out of hand. Is this why family feuds start at funerals?

We talked quite a bit about Jewish customs with a Jewish laywer named Rufus. The subject fascinates Sheila - particularly, I think, as a part of her memories of Harry - but she's still just starting to learn about them.

I made a point of talking to Larry about Doctor Who, since that has always been his trademark show in so many ways, and I hadn't discussed it with him since I'd become a fan. He doesn't approve of the New Who (though he watches it); he was quite scornful of the premise. I asked for watching advice regarding the classic shows and he told me to watch "The Unearthly Child" at the first opportunity - he thinks the first three Doctors are by far the best, with the best stories. I greatly enjoyed the conversation, and didn't take his disgust with the new series personally: I know what it's like to be a fan of something, and to see it return, transformed in ways that seem to destroy the original meaning.

( Pictures from the funeral... )