Malthus's Morbid Monuments

[Malthus]

Out for an evening stroll in the local cemetery, we saw a lot of wildlife: several rabbits, a coyote slinking across the path, and a flock of deer.:

I get deer and rabbits in the yard all the time.  I'm sure they are all over the local cemeteries.

Yeah, deer and rabbits are common, though a bit startling to see deer right in the city. Coyotes less so, or at least, less often seen. It was surprising to see so much wildlife in such a short space.

[ulmont]

Now, the last sentence on this headstone is subject to ... several possible meanings. 

This Saturday Night Live fake ad from the 1980s answers that question succinctly:

As does the classic Drivin' N' Cryin' song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJDH76zY2IE

[Malthus]

On virus lockdown, decided to get exercise walking in the local cemetery ... had an interesting experience: we met an elderly man *looking for his own grave*.

What happened was this: we were hailed by this haggard looking old man who wanted to know if we could tell him where "row 320" was (we could not). He went on to explain that decades ago his grandfather had purchased cemetery plots for everyone on his family. He was the last of them alive, and what with the virus pandemic being deadly to the elderly and all, he wanted to see where his plot was going to be!

[HVC]

Guess he never visited his families graves to pay respects. That's how you get ghosts

[Syt]

On virus lockdown, decided to get exercise walking in the local cemetery ... had an interesting experience: we met an elderly man *looking for his own grave*.

What happened was this: we were hailed by this haggard looking old man who wanted to know if we could tell him where "row 320" was (we could not). He went on to explain that decades ago his grandfather had purchased cemetery plots for everyone on his family. He was the last of them alive, and what with the virus pandemic being deadly to the elderly and all, he wanted to see where his plot was going to be!

Appropriate music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9TvcAMENJE

Not sure if this is the place, but it's the only Toronto cemetery that I know has a song dedicated to it.

[Malthus]

On virus lockdown, decided to get exercise walking in the local cemetery ... had an interesting experience: we met an elderly man *looking for his own grave*.

What happened was this: we were hailed by this haggard looking old man who wanted to know if we could tell him where "row 320" was (we could not). He went on to explain that decades ago his grandfather had purchased cemetery plots for everyone on his family. He was the last of them alive, and what with the virus pandemic being deadly to the elderly and all, he wanted to see where his plot was going to be!

Appropriate music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9TvcAMENJE

Not sure if this is the place, but it's the only Toronto cemetery that I know has a song dedicated to it.

I love Mount Pleasant - great cemetery to wander in!

[Malthus]

I was walking in Park Lawn near my house (cemetery walks are a great hobby to have right now - get outdoor exercise, without many living people!) and I came across this grave I'd not noticed before:

https://imgur.com/a/97Z4ji2

"Wally" Floody, one of the engineers of the Great Escape.

[Valmy]

1989? He had a good run.

[Malthus]

1989? He had a good run.

Indeed!

I read up about him - crazy lucky. The Germans caught him and sent him to another camp before the escape itself: he was lucky, as most of those who tried it were caught and murdered.

I'm happy that there are still some surprises in my local cemetery to find.