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Monday, April 25, 2016

U is for Undertaker

My theme for this year's A- Z Blogfest is DEATH (who I hope is like DEATH in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series): "...tall, thin (skeletal, as a matter of fact), and ALWAYS SPEAKS IN CAPITAL LETTERS. Generally shows up when you're dead, or just when he thinks you ought to be." Today we have U for Undertaker.


An Undertaker is a person whose business is preparing dead bodies for burial or cremation and making arrangements for funeral. This would be a difficult job, I think, regardless whether one's business is preparing bodies, or making funeral arrangements. I am reminded of the undertaker in The Godfather, who comes to him for a favor, in return for a favor at a later date. The undertaker is very nervous when The Godfather comes collect, but it turns out all he wants is for the undertaker to make his son (Sonny) look presentable for the funeral. I am also reminded of the show Six Feet Under, which often began with a death and the subsequent preparation of the body, which sometimes had things to say.

I would just as soon not have anyone messing about with my body. Just shove it into the crematorium and be done with it I say.


Excerpt from Mort by Terry Pratchett:

"You really are Death?" said Kreeble.

YES.

"Why didn't you say?"

PEOPLE USUALLY PREFER ME NOT TO.


14 comments:

  1. Not a job I could handle. It takes a certain kind of person.

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  2. So agree on wanting to be cremated. I couldn't do this job either.

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  3. I think this would be a very difficult job. It's not something I would be able to do well.

    Love the excerpt!

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  4. Undertaker is a creepy job.

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  5. I once binged the entire 5 seasons of Six Feet Under. It was intense... I wouldn't do it again :D

    @TarkabarkaHolgy from
    The Multicolored Diary
    MopDog

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  6. Cremation for me too. My brother in law is an undertaker. He'll always have a job.

    Susan Says

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  7. I don't think I could be an undertaker, even though there will always be a need for them.

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  8. I agree with you. Crematorium sounds just better.

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  9. I've always wondered about people who choose to be funeral directors and undertakers. I'm sure it pays well, but still...

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  10. I'm with you on the cremation - take off the valuables like rings, earrings and process the body, the soul will have already left, unless like me it hovers to be sure they do it right. . .I always remember an old cheesy B movie, where the undertaker would go out at night (on a motorcycle) and kill people to get meat for his

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  11. For his greasy spoon restaurant so the next day he would have his special of the day. . .he gets caught in the end. Not as good as Little Shoppe of Horrors, but close. The musicality of Little Shoppe brought it up a notch.

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  12. I've met a couple people who had undertaker (or mortician) as a career goal. But then went on to do something else.

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  13. Same here, just shove it in the big oven!

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  14. I agree, I'd rather be cremated. I don't want my body rotting underground :/.

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