Father Tom W. came out of the Pennsylvania coal region and his first assignment was to an Italian parish in South Philadelphia. He was always impressed with their local customs of marching from funeral home to the church accompanied by a pick up band similar to what you find in New Orleans. He was soon transferred to another parish near the waterfront and was assigned as Port Chaplain to minister to seamen and dockworkers still keeping his parish work.
One snowy cold morning his phone rang at 3AM - a local young man announced that his father was sitting up in his favorite chair but seemed to be dead - could he please come over. The priest asked if the lad had notified their funeral director. He replied "I thought I would wait until daylight to do so." Father Tom then raised his voice - "You get on that phone and call your undertaker now or they will have to break your father in half with a sledge hammer." (Rigor mortis)
tjs
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