Brian Cable's "The Last Stop"

Cable clearly had not had the “funeral experience,” or if he did, it was very short and simple. He assumed that the funeral home would be uncomfortable and so would the people. The truth is that most of them are quite nice. He also approached the funeral home with an irrational fear. Even though he thought about the funeral home logically, when he got there, the fear hit him like a ton of bricks. He also had no clue about the cost of funerals; they are very expensive. I don’t remember approaching my first funeral home experience that way. I was nervous, but I think that was mostly attributed to my great-grandfather’s death. I think that my opinion is biased because I have grown up around funerals. (I’m 19 and have attended at least 10 funerals.) I do not have a fear of them and don’t remember ever having one. My aunt is a cosmetologist, and she goes into funeral homes and styles hair and applies make-up to her deceased clients, so I don’t really view people who work in funeral homes as weird. I think it’s odd that he did not mention the smell. He said that the viewing room was “musty,” but he never mentioned the smell of the embalming fluid. It is very noticeable, and if you have ever gone into a funeral home, that is the scent that hits you as soon as you open the door. He also talked about viewing the different coffins and the different types and models. I’ve had to do this before and what he doesn’t talk about is the “back room.” In every funeral home, there is a “back room,” sometimes they’re outside or down in the basement. That is where the least expensive caskets are kept, and they do take people into the cellar right after a loved one has died. I understand why Cable agrees with Mr. Deaver about their services. They do offer a small comfort, during that time. However, I don’t necessarily agree with that opinion. Again, I’m biased. I’ve been led into the cellar to pick out my grandfather’s coffin, and I’ve had to check up on the funeral home’s charges. I agree that there is comfort in saying goodbye, but I generally dislike funeral homes. I also will say that they aren’t all like that. Some funeral homes are legitimately trying to comfort the family and make the transition easier. I feel that Cable portrayed funeral homes in a positive light—a place of support and comfort. I can see how this could be helpful in writing my essay. He is another person experiencing something new, something that he wouldn’t normally do.