There were nine people at the funeral

unless you wish to count the celebrant and the people from the funeral director's establishment. Then there would be twelve.

Two of the people present had never met the deceased person. They had simply come with their partners, people who had known the deceased at school. 

So, perhaps there really just seven in a way? 

I knew there would not be many but I had written a eulogy anyway. Those who had made the effort to come deserved that much even if, apart from me and the neighbour who came to represent the other people in the units in which the deceased lived, they had not seen or spoken to her in over eight years. 

That had been her choice, not theirs. Pt.., whom I know through the world of art and craft, is one of the warmest and kindest people I know. Pt... would have had P.... to meals, at other family gatherings, at Christmas and the like. P.... never wanted to go.  When her sister was alive it meant E.... did not go either. E..., being an entirely different sort of person, wanted to go but P.... could not bring herself to do it.

Despite that Pt....provided the flowers for the coffin. They were lovely. For all their lack of contact Pt.... knew exactly what P.... would have liked. The colours were very restrained. There was nothing showy about the arrangement but it had all the more impact because of that....and natives last so long.  P.... would have approved that. 

I sat with Pt... and the two of her children who were able to be there. They are adults of course. We sat in the front row and stared at the screen with P...'s photograph. Behind me, in the back row, I was conscious of P...'s long time male companion. They had not seen one another in over twenty years but, when I found him after some detective work on the internet, he had said he wanted to be there. He is a lovely man, an intellectual match for P.... but the relationship failed. P.... was never ready to commit herself.

I thought of all this. I told myself it was better than the funeral Middle Cat had to attend some years ago. That had been the priest, Middle Cat and her husband and someone none of them knew. They never found out exactly who the stranger was. He obviously knew the deceased but avoided answering questions. 

At least P.... had more than that but I thought of people who might have come but did not. Perhaps they could not get there.  I wondered if they had ever shared those sometimes almost silent cups of strong black coffee on her part and tea on mine. Were they comfortable with her need for so little conversation? Did they consider themselves to be her friends? Somehow I doubt it. 

I am left wondering about this need to farewell the deceased. Why do we do it?