Can't Wait to Get to Heaven

A Final Good-bye

A day after Elner died, Cathy Calvert ran the same obituary in the paper that Elner had read at the hospital and liked so much, and it pleased Cathy to know she had gotten a chance to see it. Only the date had been changed.

When Verbena Wheeler called the Bud and Jay show to tell them that Elner Shimfissle had died, Bud listened politely and said, “Thank you very much for calling, Mrs. Wheeler.” But he did not announce it right away. He said to Jay, “I’m giving it a week, to be on the safe side.”

True to her word, Norma did not hold a funeral, but a few weeks later, according to Elner’s wishes, her ashes were scattered out behind her house at sunset, and also according to her wishes, Luther Griggs stood with the family during the ceremony. When it was over and Norma turned around she had been surprised to see what looked like the entire town quietly gathered in the yard, all come to say good-bye to Elner. She would be missed, that was clear.

As it turned out, a few months later, Luther and Bobbie Jo wound up buying Elner’s house and got Sonny the cat in the deal. At first the neighbors were horrified to think about that big truck sitting in the yard, but they needn’t have worried. Bobbie Jo made him sell the truck and stay home. Luther went to work out at The Home Depot with Macky in Automotive Parts, and did quite well. Nine months later Luther and Bobbie Jo had a little girl and named her Elner Jane Griggs. Sonny the cat was not happy there was a baby in the house. Babies grow up to be children.