Brud Kendall, Nick Geller and Paul Kelly stood so close to the casket of John Kelly that it began to wobble on its wheeled stand. “Be careful Buddy!” his father called from the receiving line. “We don’t want Papa John to end up on the floor.” The boys had already examined every inch of the casket, looking for clues as to how it was constructed and how it got there. “She’s not too solid, Pa!” Paul called back, which prompted David Kelly to leave his conversation with Clarence Butler, to examine the mortuary display. “It doesn’t appear to be locked-in,” he said, waving down the attending mortician, who secured it with a look that suggested it was fine before the boys arrived.
After he returned to the endless line of mourners, primarily to support his mother Mary, who was barely able to speak a few words for the tears, Paul’s sister Caroline walked up to the casket with Brud’s sisters, Clare, Connie, and Cathy, as well as Meghan’s daughter Bethany Jean Butler and Nick’s sister Emily who like Paul was in first grade. Much to the dismay of the disgruntled mortician, the little girls added bouquets of dandelions and violets to the beautiful blanket of carnations that covered the bottom half of the bed. It was such a touching gesture, that it grew a lump in David’s throat. He whispered something to his wife, Jean, and she broke away from the line and came to stand with them in silent prayer, when suddenly Bethany said in a plaintive voice, “When is Papa going to wake up?”
