“How do you spell that?” Funeral flowers salesperson.

Word of the day: Arreglo funebre-Funeral flower arrangement.

So the news comes at 10:00am. Don Adriano has died of sudden respiratory failure. He was 65 years old, diabetic man of working stock, with a generous heart. Arrangements are made and by 6:30pm we are in front of his body praying the rosary. I should say his wife, daughter, granddaughters, sisters, nieces, and general woman folk pray. I am not Catholic and though I am wearing a dress, I am slightly butch in these matters so I stand outside the chapel with the men as they smoke. Doris’s and my father’s artist friends arrive and being equally irreligious we go to the coffee shop around the corner.

Earlier I had gone to the funeral flower seller per my father’s request for a floral arrangement. In this area with several chapels, and a church the funeral floral business is booming. In a city known for having whole neighborhoods dedicated to one industry, (the computer neighborhood, the shoes street, the architects corner) it should not be a surprise to me that there is a whole neighborhood dedicated to the death business. The florists are open until 10pm and they have steady customers until closing time. They had new arrangements coming out as quickly as they are taken away to the several chapels within walking distance. These arrangements are large wreaths, or floral “cups”. Though the cups have at least three-dozen flowers. On each of the arrangements your name is draped across in honor of the dead. Deldelp is not a name commonly heard in Colombia either. So I settle for brevity's sake for Mr. Medina and Children. “What no Mrs.?” Asked the owner of the shop, trying to explain my father’s complicated love life would be a bit much, so no Mrs.

From this day on there will be a long series of masses, more than I am willing or wanting to go to. So I am lucky enough to have my plane tickets ready to go to Carnival. So here is a list of the masses I have missed.

1. The nine days of rosary.
2. The funeral mass
3. The mass held at his favorite church
4. The mass held at his second favorite church
5. The mass held in his honor in his hometown
6. The mass held in his honor by his sisters
7. The mass held in his honor by his favorite niece