Part II: Journeys (Chapter 39)
Journeys
I just don’t know Johnny was thinking of,
having my Rosie’s body cremated like that.
Doesn’t he know that’s a Mortal
sin?
Hardly anyone at the funeral,
just me, Sal, Phil, Johnny, Auntie, the boys, and two men I’d never seen
before.
Said they were friends of
Rosalyn.
One of them asked about you; his
name escapes me....
No one told me nothin’ about
any old cremation.
I found out when Johnny showed
us the urn.
Can you imagine? My little girl
in an urn.
They had this pagan ceremony.
Called your mother “A Goddess of the Wind.”
Now she didn’t learn all that
silliness from 12 years of Catholic training, I can tell you that.
Johnny hired a helicopter, can
you imagine? Told us we were going up to spread her ashes all over Canoga Park.
I said, “No way am I climbing
on some rickety helicopter for dumping my daughter’s ashes all over Hell.
Because that’s exactly where she’s goin’.”
I didn’t mean it, ‘cause your
mother wasn’t responsible for her illness. She was a sick, sick woman.
But I still wasn’t goin’ up in
no helicopter.
I tell you, your Pappa was
turning in his grave.
Auntie was mortified and left
early. Says she doesn’t know what this world is comin’ to.
I still don’t understand why you wouldn’t pay your last respects to your mother.