the first day of the wake at singapore caskets - my dad says it's all very simply and elegantly done - and my cousin alan is doing the catering for the wake - on wednesday they'll move him to the church of the immaculate heart (24 highland road, this is near our place, serangoon is the nearest station though then i don't know that anyone who reads my blog is going to go.) and there will be a mass said. father jeannequin is going to conduct it, and my dad is going to do one of the readings, and i expect winnie will do the other. (father j. was, according to my dad, "very diplomatic," - understanding that there was bound to be tension - my uncle (and aunt and dad) being catholic, but the younger generation protestants - and that things should be arranged so that no part of the funeral mass would be uncomfortable or objectionable for them.

the children kept running around. the boy examined the coffin and finding no opening asked - how did ah kong get in there? and kept opening and closing the fridge for water. the girl rapped on the coffin with one of the handles for the pall bearer, knock knock, she said, ah kong, ah kong? oh, don't think i envy the children for their innocence - i'd rather be the one who is able to know and mourn - but there is something about the easy acceptance and amusement that could be a relief. anyway they are all packed off back to school today because they were far too energetic to have around a wake.