Americans do some things very differently!

I have lived in the homes of at least 25 American families & it still amazes me how certain things are done very differently in USA (as compared to us in India).

[1] Electric switches in that country need to be pushed "up" to be switched ON [2] the traffic moves on the right side of the road [3] stepneys (spare tyres) in the cars are smaller than the other four tyres [4] almost all drivers will STOP & then proceed at intersections even when they can see nobody coming in from any direction [5] people will smilingly wave their hands at perfect strangers [6] they will use the Internet to find out any & every thing including the time at which the next city bus will arrive in front of their house situated on one of those non-descript streets [7] pedestrians can themselves switch on the "red" traffic light before crossing the road [8] every floor of a hotel has an ice cube machine - the cubes are copiously used [9] one drinks water straight from the tap - in hotels one is advised to do so from the tap in the wash basin -something which Indians can never digest [10] ordinary corn flakes are eaten without sugar [11] people actually believe in weather forecasts and act accordingly [12] the country uses FPS (ounces, pounds, miles, Fahrenheit) system even today [13] handicapped people can automatically get into and out of city buses sitting on their wheelchairs (with a mechanised platform that moves in and out of the bus and which is controlled by the driver through an electric switch) [14] city buses and some trains have a special facility to load bicycles inside or in a rack in the front of the bus [15] when new born babies are transported back home from the hospital, the parents have to buy a special seat and learn how to strap the baby inside that - parents are actually not allowed to carry the baby home without the nurse certifying that they are adept at this [16] presidential election results in a particular state are declared even when voters in another part of the country are yet to vote [17] public libraries lend latest books and CDs absolutely free of cost- you just have to produce a proof of residence.

All these however pale into insignificance compared to the system that is prevalent to handle death in a family. I once stayed in the house of a "funeral director" and what I learnt there remains etched in my memory - so different it is to what we are used to...

(1) One has to obtain a licence to function as a funeral director and have enough working space in the office to embalm and store dead bodies in a mini - morgue (refrigerated facility).

(2) A funeral director is like a "turn key" service provider who takes care of everything related to a funeral like (a) booking a burial place; (b) selling coffins and inside linen - these are available at widely differing price according to the quality and workmanship; (c) transporting the dead body from the place of death (usually a hospital) to his office; (d) carrying out the functions of a mortician (beautifying dead bodies);(e) arranging the funeral procession including the priest; (f) arranging the meal that follows the funeral, and other related activities.

(3) Given the family system prevalent in USA, an old couple usually approaches a funeral director to sort of do an "advance booking" for their own deaths. They pay the necessary charges to ensure that somebody (remember their sons and daughters are not staying with them) starts all processes after their death. I was told that the number of cremations in USA is increasing and therefore the funeral director also has to offer this facility to his clients and this includes handing back the urn containing the ashes of the deceased.

(4) Contrary to what we do, a dead body is not brought to the residence of the concerned person (once again probably because there is no one at home). The funeral director's work really starts from here. On receiving information, he arranges for the body to be picked up and brings it to his mini morgue where it is embalmed for long preservation.

(5) Close relatives are then contacted to fix a suitable date for the funeral. My "funeral director host" told me of a peculiar case when one of the dead person's sons was out of America on a vacation with his family and wanted the funeral to be fixed only after about 15 days because he did not want to abort his vacation. I could not think of anything even remotely similar to what happens in India. The mini-morgue is also necessary to take care of such situations

(6) The family of the dead person then sends his or her best clothes to the funeral directors' office so that the dead person can be made to look at his best. The mortician now takes over and beautifies the dead person (lipstick, rouge, face - powder, hair neatly combed, a three piece suit, necktie, etc). All this has to be ready well before the funeral.

(7) The funeral director then makes all arrangements for the funeral procession on the decided date - he provides the special van to carry the dead body in the coffin. The job is really completed when the coffin is finally lowered into the grave.

(8) The meal that follows brings the whole process to its conclusion.


I am not sure if anyone of us would like to die in USA.