Family Travel / 25

I asked my father once why Mom didn’t have an open casket funeral.

“She did,” Dad said. “The casket was closed the moment before you entered the room.”

My father had gotten into a fight with Aunt Gale. He said open; she said closed. Children should be protected, my aunt believed.

It’s with excuses like these that my mother ducks out on me. Refuses to answer questions or put in appearances.