Ring The Bell That Still Can Ring

Today, I attended the funeral of Jimmy James - a neighbor. He would have been 90 in a few days. He was born at the end of a major war, and we are still fighting wars. Sad indictment. Jimmy was a truly lovely chap, music and his family were his life. He is credited with having played more pianos in N Africa during the war than guns - not a bad epitaph, is it? He smoked most of his life, and in the last days, would remove the oxygen so he could have another drag! Always happy, and always smiling. He told me a few days before he went that he'd had a great life, no complaints. He'd known his wife Phyllis for 70 years. Now that's true love. He hated stupidity. He once saw a yob dumping his cigarette ends in the park. Jimmy duly emptied a trash can in the idiot's car. Sadly, in this PC country, he would have been arrested today.

While sitting in the Church during the service, I thought of Leonard Cohen's Anthem, and I think it would be fitting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e39UmEnqY8&feature=related

It is a beautiful song, and Leonard Cohen says it all at the beginning and throughout.

RIP Jimmy, you will be sorely missed.