Sadly, our friend Peter has died. He had been in hospital, waiting for an Aged Care bed and passed away yesterday morning. His daughter had arrived from Sydney just before he went. He was a few years older than me and was certainly becoming more frail each time we saw him recently.
As I wrote that last paragraph, I was very reluctant to use the phrase 'passed away' but I had already said he 'had died' and couldn't repeat that phrase without it sounding stilted. But I hate these mealy-mouthed modern phrases which are supposed to soften the blow of hearing that someone has died.
I particularly hate the American usage of saying that someone has 'passed'. Passed what? Passed the salt passed the ball, passed wind? Do you think the widow or the bereaved children feel any better when your use of language suggests that their loved one hasn't really died; he has just passed through a doorway to somewhere else?
When I go, I want someone to recite the famous lines from the Monty Python sketch: 'E's passed on! He is no more! He has ceased to be! 'E's expired and gone to meet 'is maker! 'E's a stiff! Bereft of life, 'E rests in peace! 'Is metabolic processes are now 'istory! 'E's fallen off the twig! 'E's kicked the bucket, 'E's shuffled off 'is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisible!!'
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