Many parents use the term “potty” when talking to young children. In fact, some people say it so much that it is easy to forget there are other names for this important room. A word of advice, never, ever ask where the “potty” is while attending a funeral visitation. At my dad’s visitation, I had someone ask, “Where is the potty”? Maybe it was because we were at a funeral that my ears deceived me. What I heard was “Where is the body”? I found this a rather odd question given that I was standing in close proximity to the casket; however, I obliged and gently pointed toward the casket.
Not liking my answer, I heard her again ask, “Where is the body”? I again pointed in the direction of the casket with what I’m sure was a very confused look on my face. I could maybe understand her asking this if there was no casket. It was so obvious where the casket was so why was she asking that???? No one else chimed in on the conversation. The 3rd time she tried to ask the question, she said “no, I need to know where the “POTTY” is. (She had her toddler on her hip which explains the choice of words used.)
Needless to say, everyone in the near vicinity of this conversation busted out laughing and all agreed it sounded like she was asking where the body was. I guess no one was going to come to either of our rescue during this exchange of Q&A. I was so glad I wasn’t the only one who thought she was asking where the body was, and I’m sure she was mortified. I cannot even do this story justice to make you understand how hilarious this conversation was.
The moral of this story is it’s ok to laugh even when you are grieving. Enjoy the small moments when you get them. Don’t they say that “laughter is good for the soul”? To my friend, thank you for this memory. I still get tickled every time I think about this story!