Saying Goodby

We attended my cousin Joe Odom's Memorial Service this afternoon. The weather was hotter than branding iron except for the patch of shade at Self Cemetery.
Jilda and I arrived around 1 p.m. to help prepare for the service. Shortly before Janet, Joe, Jake and Tina arrived, we could hear distant thunder and the wind kicked up out of the northwest. That was a blessing.
As the family arrived, rain drops began to rattle on the top of the tent. People started arriving and they hustled for the shelter of the tent and in a short while, we were all really close. Then the bottom fell out. As Joe used to say, it rained like a cow whizzing on a flat rock. I'm not sure exactly how that saying came into being but it always cracked me up when he said it.
As the time for the service arrived, the rain moved off to the southeast and blue skies returned.
A short time later it was like a sauna out there.
Joe's friends and family never let a little inclement weather get in the way. After the service, people started pulling grills and coolers out of their car and soon there were dogs and burgers cooking.
People sat around in big circles and howdy'd up for a while. I know Joe's spirit was smiling down on the gathering.