My father lost half his weight in the last few years of his life, so when he finally died and myself, my mother and brother went to the funeral director to organise the funeral, he offered, happily and enthusiastically to put the weight back onto him/his face. I said calmly and simply – ‘we’d like him to look dead’. He was horrified (the funeral director) Clearly this had never been asked. Luckily my mum and brother were nodding, ‘yes, dead is good’. He squirmed – and was shocked again with my father’s choice of music which was New Orleans ‘Coming Home Music’, he allowed this too – but made sure there were NO OTHER funerals at the same time so as not to horrify them and their sombre services.
