Two simple urns stood on the granite alter of The Evergreens Cemetery in Brooklyn. Jim’s remains nestled in his urn, including several silver-amalgam fillings from his teeth. Alice’s urn contained as much of her as the subway DPW and NYC Coroner’s Office could find. Ever hungry subway vermin made off with small bits of her before the station became full of police and flashing lights.
Services were held in the one-story Victorian Gothic inter-faith chapel. Brown sandstone trim surrounding arched lead-glass windows helped them stand out against the gray granite facade. A short tower with two levels of windows and requisite spire served as the entrance to the building. Ancient hemlock trees held a somber vigil as they maintained their fifteen pace distance around the chapel.
Paul agreed to conduct a memorial service. He looked out over the gathered mourners. The audience was sparse. AI Concepts closed for the day to allow lab personnel to attend the funeral. Few did.
Jim’s department heads were seated together, along with a handful of lead workers. Frank Wright, several corporate executives, and company attorneys, sat four rows from the front. The attorneys kept their audio recorders discretely hidden. One never knew if the preacher would cast any blame on AI Concepts, Inc. for the murder. Recordings of the funeral could be used as evidence in potential litigation by the deceased’s family members. They needn’t have worried. Neither Jim nor Alice had any family of note that would care enough to make the trip to New York, let alone Brooklyn.
Harry Cleveland and his wife sat in the second pew on the left, in front of the podium. Francine sat next to the center aisle in the pew with Harry. Martha and Gabriella huddled in the center of the third pew with several engineers on either side of them. Paul nodded to the audience and began his short service.
“I would like to welcome everyone here to the celebration of Jim and Alice’s life. Most of you knew Jim personally. Some of you also knew Alice. I’m sure they are smiling down at you from above.” I hate it when I have to stretch the truth like that. Jim is with Jesus. Alice, well, that’s between her and God. I have no clue.
“It’s tragic when people are taken before their time. How much more tragic is it when both a husband and wife pass away on the same night? I can’t even pretend to understand the feeling. Only their family and the people who knew them best can venture a guess.”
Paul looked around, hoping to spot any evidence of family grief. He saw none, except in the faces of Gabriella, Francine, Martha, Frank, and Harry.
“I’m not going to bore you with a long list of Jim and Alice’s accomplishments or tell stories about their lives. I would much rather hear the sermon from you, in your own words. To that end, I will open the microphone to anyone who would like to speak. An unusual approach, yes, it is, but you all know more about the couple than I do, and your words would have more meaning to everyone than mine. With that, I would like to call the first person to the podium to get us started. Will Frank Wright please come up and say a few words?”
Frank looked around for a moment, stood, and excused himself as he squeezed out of the pew past Francine. Hesitantly took the microphone from Paul at the podium and coughed nervously.
“My heart is heavy today as I speak to you. My wife and I were close friends with Jim and Alice. The loss of two people we loved and respected, on the same day, is almost more than we can bear, especially under the circumstances. Jim’s brutal murder and Alice’s accidental fall in front of the subway train makes one wonder how such things happen? Both will be missed. AI Concepts will miss the leadership of Jim as Lab Director. We will miss his humor and his ability to get along with each and every employee. That quality made him a true leader. I don’t know of a single person who would have wanted to harm him. Except for the husbands of the women he was sleeping with.
“I’m sure that I speak for everyone at AI Concepts when I say that Jim’s ability, humor, and warmth will be sorely missed by one and all. Francine Dracus will be taking over Jim’s position. We all have complete faith that she will carry on Jim’s legacy with excellence. Thank you all for coming.”
Frank handed the microphone back to Pastor Paul and squeezed past Francine again as he took his seat.
Paul looked at Gabriella, but before he could call her up to speak, she shook her head to decline and motioned towards Francine.
“Francine, you and Jim worked closely with each other for several years. Extremely close! Could you share some of your thoughts with us?”
Francine walked the six steps to the podium and was handed the microphone.
“Thank you all again for coming to pay tribute to Jim and Alice. As many of you know, Jim and I were very close.” A small twitter floated softly through the lab personnel. “He was a great lab director, and we will all miss him very much. Jim always had a kind word to say to everyone, even when we were under deadline pressures, and he never failed to put his arm around someone when they needed comfort. We are all devastated by his loss.
“Jim would want us to continue on in our work. He never lost sight of the fact that we are on the cutting edge of AI technology. He was very proud of that and of all of us at AI Concepts. Let’s continue with the good work in honor of his memory. He is no longer here, but the work that he put his life into will continue in his name.
“I pray the police will soon arrest and convict the rotten bastard that took Jim from us. I know all of you share my regret that New York no longer has a death penalty, but I believe Providence will work it all out and the guilty party will be appropriately punished.”
Francine glared at Gabriella for a fraction of a second before taking her seat.
Pastor Paul thanked her for her comments, then spoke of how Jim accepted Jesus as his Savior on the eve of his death. “He may be gone, but those of us who are saved will certainly see him again. I have no doubt as to where he is and who he is with right now. Heaven isn’t floating on clouds in white robes playing a harp. I can’t imagine anything as dull as that. Instead, the current of heaven is life, song, and vitality. A place where you know everyone and everyone knows you. A place full of love and joy. I can imagine a lot of laughing going on, especially with Jim there. Yes, when we say that Jim is now in a better place, it is not just comforting words. It’s the God’s honest truth. He really is.
“Some of you may ask about Alice. Is she in that better place, too? Well, I can’t make that judgment. I didn’t know Alice or her beliefs. The thing is, though, what happens at the moment of death is between you and God. Some will come to him, others will not. The decision is yours.
“I want to thank everyone again for coming. You are all welcomed to linger after this service to pay your personal respects. Have a blessed day.”