Monday, February 1, 2010

The Last Word

I enjoyed this rather heavy-handed obit I read a few weeks ago. It's doubtful the chastising made much of an effect on the people it was intended for, though, but the insertion of it in someone's obit made me giggle. They pay for obits by the word, and this was a long one, so the writer felt strongly about having 'the last word...'


Elsie-May Macinkinash,* age 87 (go, Elsie!) ...was a sweet, enthusiastic, cheerful, inquisitive lady and continued to be sweet in her last year's while suffering from Alzheimer's....She began teaching English at age 19. Even though she was not much older than her students she never had trouble with discipline and enjoyed it. (Did that come out the way it was intended?). After marrying she spent 15 years rearing her children, but with her children in school, she resumed teaching English in a high school not far from __. It was a terrible experience. While all her students in __ were good and most of her students in the new school were also, there were a number who were disruptive and anything but good. She had never met or had to deal with such young people. She even visited a number of the student's homes after school to meet with the parents but to no good. After that year she taught at an elementary school in another district for a couple of years with much more success.......**

* I always make up the names.....
**Poor Elsie! But I bet those 'bad students' aren't reading the daily obits.....

9 comments:

Julie said...

I do often read the obits and have kept many of them because of how beautiful that they are. Some times there will be an obit written by a spouse and it just really moves me! I can't even count the times that the tears have fallen over well written and touching obits:)
There are, like you pointed out, funny ones too! Thanks for sharing.

Unknown said...

I love it! Having been a high school teacher, I can sympathize!

plainolebob said...

Amy, LOL LOL, i was choking up my coke reading this, too much, and to think i was probably one of her students too.
big big hugs

e said...

I know well why Miss Elsie did not fare well with the high school crowd...Could not stand them myself, LOL! Hugs to you!

Tam and John said...

Hats off to Elise - I used to fantasize about what I would say to the students on my last day. I never did, but oh, how I wanted to have the last word!!

SPEAKING FROM THE CRIB said...

this is awesome and loved reading it! could i convince you to enable your email so i could email you with regard to the comments you love me? could i?

Aleta said...

LMAO - this was GREAT!

Anne said...

Just found your blog. I love your writing style and am finding myself relating to much of what I've read in your last few posts. So I'll be following along.

Anonymous said...

hahaha! That was so funny!