Picture this. I had just landed in London, with one of my best friends - who also happens to be my boss. We had a long overnight flight on Sunday, and we there for to scope out candidates and office space in both London and Amsterdam over the course of the following five days. However, the first order of business on Monday morning was to attend a funeral.
Our chairman of the board, who was one of the original founders of the company, is British. It just so happened that his mother had recently passed, and her funeral was to be held an hour outside of London. Out of respect and friendship, we were more than happy to attend to support him.
We hopped in a taxi and headed out into the beautiful pastoral scenery that became Leatherhead. We made good time, or so we thought. Our car let us off at the site of the memorial service, and in we went.
We thought we had arrived a few minutes early, but the doors were shut, and singing had already begun. We quietly snuck in and grabbed a seat on pews in the rear. We looked to find our friend. We didn’t see him, but assumed perhaps he was in a front row and we had an obstructed view.
We listened to the music for several minutes, looked around, trying to take it in. Nothing seemed off. Until the minister approached the congregation and said, “As we gather here today to remember…Neville.” NEVILLE?!
We looked at each other in horror. We were attending the wrong f’ing funeral. At then the laughter started. That horrible, awful, you can’t control yourself laughter. We tried hitting each other. Pinching each other. Attempting that fake coughing noise. It was mortifying, and yet the more we tried to stop, the worse it got.
Finally, mercifully, the singing began again, and like school children we ran out the back door. We immediately ran into our friend and his family, awaiting their service. Of course they thought our story was hysterical, and it brought added levity to what we assumed would be a somber event. We found out later it wasn’t necessary. I learned the Brits can throw quite a party to send off their loved ones. I think that’s awesome. Who wouldn’t want to be remembered joyously, rather than with a bunch of people mourning you in complete sadness?
That single event, while completely embarrassing in the moment, was one of the best laughs I’ve ever had. There are lots of cherished emotions we experience as humans, but a good, deep, heartfelt laugh shared with someone you care about - I live for those.
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