I was assisting Paul, one of the funeral home's embalmers, in the prep room. It was a Jewish funeral home, though Paul talked openly about his Christian faith. He was devout and also, in many ways, naïve to the world around him.
I was helping him dress a deceased woman in preparation for placing her in the casket.
Unless a decedent has made their specific wishes known, families typically pick out clothing and bring it to the funeral home. The range of choices itself is culturally fascinating: Some men are buried in a suit and tie, some women in a sequined party dress. Some are set for a round of golf; others wear comfy pajamas or sweats.
Though she was mostly covered by a sheet, I took casual notice that the face and hair style of the woman we were about to dress had a "masculine" appearance. She was to be dressed in a tuxedo. When Paul and I had finished our work, she looked sharp.
As we turned away from our completed task, Paul said to me, “She must have been a musician.” I reply, “Or a lesbian.”