So despite the huge propensity for craziness the whole funeral thing actually turned out quite well. I was kind of keeping scoping things out and being on the defensive, along with being cordial to everyone regardless of past animosity, which is also a form of pre-emptive defense, waiting for the comment or gesture that lit shit off and took it sideways but it just didn't happen, at least not in my presence. It's as if this group actually grew up a bit, or just got too old and tired to keep up the fight.
It was nice anyways.
The old guys from the local county veterans burial Association came out to do the military honors. These guys are all in their 70s and 80s. The "young one" that headed up the presentation might've been 68 or something. Couple of them needed canes to hold themselves up and they were all slow getting around.....that is until it came time to do the ceremony. Then it was as if you wiped 50 years off these guys in an instant. Sharpness, precision, professionalism, duty, respect, there ain't enough good words for it. The dedication and purpose just amazing. Bring you to tears. What a wonderful group of men.
Those old codgers even managed to get 7 rifles to sound like a single shot two times out of three and the third one was really damn close.
As long as there's guys like that still around we'll be fine, don't worry about it.