by
Sandy Day
Kindle Edition
“Fred’s Funeral” tells the story of Fred Sadler ricocheting through eight decades of life. Fred dies in 1986 and hovers like a ghost to eavesdrop at his own funeral and the family gathering afterward. His tyrannical sister-in-law Viola, deceased Thomas’ wife, presides over the funeral gathering. Fred’s great-niece Dawn asks questions that Viola would rather not hear or answer.
Did Uncle Fred really suffer from “shell shock? What was he like? Why was he locked away in Institutions?
Fred, still hovering like a ghost, tries to set the record straight but, of course, he can not. Dawn is tenacious at her questions, and shortly out comes a suitcase of Fred’s letters written during his WWI military experience and memorabilia to flesh out her questions.
The young relatives cannot, of course, get a full understanding of Fred from the contents of the box he left.
But readers who hover along with Fred can gain understanding from being privy to Fred’s thoughts as well as the suitcase’s contents. Fred probably suffered from what today is termed PTSD. And it might be that Fred as a mental hospital inmate and resident in a nursing home/assisted living facility was subject to modern treatments like heavy mind-altering drugs and electric shock therapy which exacerbated his condition.
“Fred’s Funeral” is very well-written, concise, to the point is apparently based on real facts. This novella would make a good book club read. Readers gain an exciting interpretation of Fred’s family as the book progresses. We readers also learn about Fred as he recalls times, places and events relevant to him. Some might come to sympathize with Fred; others might not.
Remembrance Day, originally called Armistice Day, is celebrated in British Commonwealth Countries and Veterans' Day in the United States as a national day of remembering and mourning members of all Armed Forces that lost lives for their countries. Poppy Day is the informal name for This national holiday in the U.S. and most Commonwealth Countries started at the end of World War I. Poppy Day arises from the World War I poem "In Flanders Fields" written by Canadian military doctor Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae. This solemn holiday is on a fixed date, November 11 set to commemorate the end of WW I at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.
