"Mother Kierce"

The date: Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2006 The location: New Haven, CT

On what could have certainly been a more atypical January day in Connecticut, another saint was laid to rest...Mother Annie Dawson Kierce, a stalwart of Church St. South - mom, friend, confidant to many who crossed her path. Due to this dear woman's immense popularity and the way she clearly touched the lives of so many over the years her homegoing service was in funeral parlance "packed out". It is here dear readers that I begin my saga:

The site: Trinity Temple COGIC. I volunteered to usher, "my reasonable service" I thought as I began to plan how much time I'd have to take off from work, when I would have time to cook/bake for the repast and if there would be sufficient heat at the "Temple"....

10:15: Leave work to go home and change into ushering get up, frost the cake I baked the night before after coming in from rehearsal and grab the roasting pan of Stovetop Turkey stuffing I'd made. Tissues (for me), check; hard candy (again, for me), check; eyeglasses so I'll be able to see across the room, check; cash to hit Bishop off, check ...

10:48: Arrive @ the "Temple", find a not-too-faraway parking space on Henry St. - except it's going in the wrong direction- towards Dixwell - for when I get ready to leave. I'm anticipating the need for a clean, quick getaway when this is over...my senses prove to be prophetic...I approach the side door w/the bag of food so I can drop it off in the kitchen before manning my post. The door handle falls off in my hand. I stare at it momentarily - "another omen?" - perhaps, Willie, perhaps..

11:00: The ministerial staff is assembled in the vestibule, I popped a piece of watermelon Duble Bubble, slipped on my gloves & handed the envelope with Bishop's chedda to Pastor Middleton - all systems arrrrrrre GO! "I am the resurrection and the life..."

11:15: I get posted on the far aisle alongside the pews with the family. There's a lot of them - most grieving heavily. Thank God there are 2 seasoned mother's from the Nurses' unit up there as well - except one is on a cane & the other one's got a bad wheel. Oh boy.

11:30: Sheliah McCray-Dawson & Rose Kierce bust through the main entrance - Sheilah first, draped in full-length autumn haze mink, seafoam green, 2-piece knit shot through w/iridescent gold threading, a matching rhinestone encrusted brim-less hat w/matching hatpin and candyapple red peep-toed slingbacks??? Rose bringing up the rear in an all black, simply adorned 2 piece black knit; auburn, chin-length, flipped baby-doll weave, oversized Chanel knock-off sunglasses, bluish-green snakeskin pumps. I go to escort Rose to the family section - Sheilah follows and since they are late they sit approximately 5-6 rows behind family...

11:45: Sheilah begins the "seen and be seen" routine after asking me to get "corrected programs" to the pulpit. I do as I'm instructed, yet she follows me to the rear of the church - am I a half-wit? Can i not carry out this simple task? I maintain the straight, emotion-less expression I've worked on for years - I do not know if I am successful...

11:47: A young woman? man? approaches me as I'm speaking to the head usher, Sis. Stancil, about the "corrected programs" wanting a program. I ask him/her to wait until I finish, he/she walks away...

11:49: I get Sis. Stancil to agree to open the box of corrected programs in Bishop's office - she didn't want to open them in the church because "then everyone would swarm me wanting them" - Sheilah, spangly & sparkly yet without a STITCH of make-up, is still waiting by the main doors - "Do you need me to do anything else for you?" Rose needs the corrected programs too. It's going to be a long funeral...

11:50: The little guy/girl asks me if he/she can go into the pulpit to have remarks - "By all means. And here's your program." It's a she - w/a sweet, clear complexion and voice to match she sings a hymn that makes the family grieve even harder - especially the now obviously OVERWHELMING amount of other little dykes I realize are in attendance - fully 1/3 of the congregation in my humble estimation.

12:00: Rose has remarks - she is extremely composed - sunglasses removed, she brings a bit of levity to the situation by reminding us that her mother would feed a flea-ridden dog, was a true fashion diva and would pass out 50 cent flea market hats in the winter to the bare-headed kids from the projects on their way to school..a good woman indeed.

12:10: Jackie Daniels wobbles up into the pulpit in her trademark black mink beret w/tails and rhinestone pin. She immediately starts talking about herself - per usual - before launching into a shaky, off-key rendition of "Stand"; the little Briarsen Burke fellow tried in vain to follow her on the Hammond B3...Sheilah yelled out "sing Aunt Jackie!". "Please don't" I thought to myself...

Next: THE SERMON
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