“I guess we should go, Tubby,” I said. Worthington was enough of a frequent customer that making an appearance at the viewing was the right thing to do. And maybe if the family and others saw us there, word would get out and we would be forgiven for him dying at our place.
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The viewing was at LaVella Funeral Home in St. Paul parish on the northwest corner of the island. The tradition on the island was to have at least three days of a viewing, some as long as nine. The denomination usually determined the length of the viewing. Worthington was Catholic, and the viewing was scheduled to run for four days followed by the funeral.
When Tubby and I entered, the first thing I noticed was Worthington’s family seated in a row up front and very close to the open casket. I kept my focus on the fa
