In my community, there's an age grade that's involved in burying the dead. This age grade is compulsory for all sons of the land to belong to, when they come of age irrespective of whether they're home or abroad. If you're home and refuse to join, you'll be fined heavily until you succumb, and if you're abroad, whenever you visit home, you must pay homage to the leader of such a group.
Sometimes, this group of people do not just bury the corpse; they also bathe the corpse and get involved in certain rituals before buying the corpse ...if the situation is critical.
Hey! I frown at this age grade and always try to run away from their scene. Thank God, I haven't been a regular homie ever since I gained admission, so they can't see me.
What am I saying in essence?
I hate to associate with dead bodies (corpse). It's not like I'm sacred to a corpse, nah! I've seen and touched a lot of dead bodies. I'm not scared; I just don't just like it.
So, one of the jobs I won't find myself doing, no matter what, is being a mortuary attendant. I can never!
It always baffles me whenever I hear people say they bathed a dead body. Like, it doesn't look somehow to them?
I remember when my dad's twin sister died, my mom took the honour to bathe and cloth her before she was laid in the coffin. They were best of friends when she was alive so she thought it's her way of paying last respect to her dear friend. When she said it to us(my siblings and her), I couldn't comprehend the scenario. I wanted to ask her nonsense questions but because the corpse is a lady, I kept mute.
Why I don't like the job
The only reason I don't like the job is because the whole thing repels my system; my whole body doesn't like it at all. The thought of bathing dead bodies gets me sick.
I've heard a lot of people bragging about the salary in such jobs, especially those in foreign countries, but hey, no matter the amount offered, I can't give into such work.
I'm the type that hates bad odors to the core, and relating a dead body with odor even though it's not smelling puts me off.
There was a time we went to a burial ceremony for one mama who died in our church; she wasn't properly balmed because it was done locally.
You need to see how the smell was oozing out despite the cans of perfume sprayed. I was with my boss (pastor), which made me follow him inside where the coffin was laid. Mehn! The smell was so terrible to me that I almost pucked. I didn't know if the same was applicable to the people who followed us.
I know that well-balmed corpses don't smell, but what if I'm employed as a mortuary attendant and one corpse gets spoiled and begins to smell? I'll just quit work that day. I hate smells.
I've seen in movies and heard in real-life experience about how risky it is to have ghosts in such work. If there's one thing that would make me work in such a place, it should be this: I love to see how ghosts work. Maybe I will have the opportunity to ask them questions about the other world.
Thanks for reading.
This is my entry to the Week 81, Edition 01 of the Weekly Featured Contest in Hive Learners Community.
