It was New Year’s Day, but that hadn’t stopped Death from making several visits throughout our little communities, so while a great deal of the world slept in that morning or claimed the recliner and the remote, several of our locations had employees clocked in and hard at work.  In Savannah the schedule called for seeing three families plus dealing with whatever else might occur, so as the directors led the way through each arrangement conference, those of us in the office answered the ever-ringing phone and tried to enter and process as much as we could, knowing the next day would be equally busy—and the world would no longer be on holiday.

Occasionally, someone would rattle the exterior office door, trying to enter the building but quickly realizing that door was locked.  You see, since it was a holiday the office wasn’t technically open for business, so the doors were secured to reinforce that notion.  But since the main front doors were unlocked to accommodate the seemingly constant stream of folks, it didn’t take much effort on anyone’s part to find another way in.  Then we’d hear the door from the foyer to the office open and one of us would turn to offer assistance or information or both.

There is no possible way I can begin to describe the surprise and absolute delight that we all felt when one of those turns found Billy Allegood at our counter.  There’d been no time for taking a break and certainly very little time for eating, and here at our counter stood a wonderful man with a bag full of McDonald’s hot apple and strawberry pies.  Of the four people present at that moment, not a one turned down a pie—a pie with its tender, flaky crust, still warm in its little box—and we even thought enough to reserve one for the director who was finishing up the last arrangement conference.  We thanked him over and over and I’m pretty sure he could see gratitude written all over our tired faces. He told us how much he appreciated us and how much he loved us and, with a “God bless you”, he was out the door and on his mission of making his little corner of the world better.

That one act of kindness was all it took to help us through the rest of the day.  Those few sweet words, a small financial investment on his part, and I’m sure a great deal of his time, brought more comfort and encouragement than he will ever know.

Superstition has it that what you do on New Year’s Day, you’ll do all year long.  We understand that’s a part of our business and we know we can be called upon at any moment, day or night, to leave the comfort of our place of work or home, and go to the aid of someone who is experiencing one of life’s most difficult trials.  But what a blessing to have the Billy Allegoods of the world who care for the caregivers and offer encouragement to everyone they meet!  Whether it’s the doctors or nurses or EMTs, the firefighters or law enforcement—or the folks at the funeral home—there are days when we all need that kindness shown.  So to Billy Allegood and those in this world who share his mission—thank you.

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