Some of my colleagues in the funeral business awoke to real-world confirmation of their worst forebodings—photos of the modest public departure ceremonies for Archbishop Desmond Tutu, New Year’s Day, 2022. Yes, the church setting was glorious, and the other bishops wore their robes, but surely the great man who helped upend apartheid would exit in a mahogany, walnut or cherry casket with brass rails of some sort. And wait a minute—what’s going on there with the slender foot-end of the Bishop’s pine coffin resting naked, skirt-less on the church truck? It’s not landing normally. No rails on the sides, just rope. Tiny wild flowers for a great man like that? Yes.

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