2004-04-12 - 12:18 a.m. - Part IV: The funeral parlor

Saturday, April 3 : I didn’t buy a ticket for this roller coaster!!!!

I woke up after a much better sleep than the previous night. I had found out about a place called Dignified Pet Services that will cremate your pet. I thought of just burying the body, but given the layout of my yard, I ultimately decided that a cremation would be best. Plus – I want to be cremated, so why would I do anything different for something I loved.

My friend, Toni, accompanied me to the place. I was expecting it to be a bit clinical – not quite like a vet’s office, but something along those lines. Well, this place was nothing like that at all – it was like a regular funeral parlor but for pets!!! It was carpeted with nice furniture, a fountain, couches, pews facing a wall with a nice quote about our relationships with pets, tons of urns from which to choose, headstones, caskets!!!! It was like walking on the set for "Six Feet Under". I was completely blown away – I was also an emotional mess once again as I laid Opal on the table. The woman was SO comforting. She gave Opal a "paw tag" (since they don’t have toes to stick it on) after writing down all the info and told me to stay as long as I wanted with her. I stayed a little while but then told Toni through my tears – "this is just her body – she’s gone."

I was told her ashes would be ready in a couple of days and that they would call me. I dropped Toni off at her house after thanking her for accompanying me. I visited and cried on some other friend’s shoulders and then called my parents and sister (who was going to adopt Opal when I left for Venezuela). They sent me a beautiful bouquet of flowers that arrived later that afternoon. Tears came again when I saw them. My brother called with his condolences – he and his wife have had cats that had to put to sleep when they were older – I knew he had felt a similar pain.

I had other friends who had lost pets, and I had no idea just what they had gone through. Now I understand.

I stayed out of the house as much as possible that weekend – it was just too hard to be home…

30-something - 2005-03-01
the holding back the the flow of tears - 2005-02-20
song survey - 2005-02-15
song for the day...or perhaps the year... - 2005-01-25
something new - 2005-01-24
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