Being a pall bearer

Three words: Pine tar rag.

 

It's a casket, not a baseball bat.

 

I once worked a military funeral in which the pall bearers (not Army, btw) dropped the casket.

It was awful. Lots of wailing and gnashing of teeth.

 

Did somebody say "pine tar?"

 

FWIW:
When I was a river guide, one of the guys I worked with told us of the time he and a friend were paid in advance to be pall bearers.
The minister gave them guys 20 bucks. But it was about an hour before they were needed. Instead of waiting, they ran to the store and bought a case of beer. They drank a little more than half of it before they were needed.
Jack, that was the guy I worked with, said after they lowered the casket in the ground, he and his buddy were wobbling back and forth and trying not to giggle. Afterward, he said the minister walked by them, stopped and just glared.
Old Jack said they just kept their heads down and tried not to laugh.

 

Exactly. I've done it three times. Don't worry about dropping it. Just get a good grip. It's not like you have to carry for a half-hour. You'll be fine.