Yesterday was Billy’s funeral. Vincent asked me, if I would mind taking a few photographs as memories. (I gladly agreed and it turned into over 100 photos, which is why I will post them in several volumes, shooting for just two for now…)
Massive event, or it felt massive, rather. (Can’t really have been, as not too many people were there, but everyone from the hotel came, minus Alexander, Laila left him in the care of a babysitter for once, which so far she has rarely if ever done, but she didn’t want to deal with baby squealing or lactating breasts or nappies to change.
(And then it was actually a cremation, to be precise.)

It was really sad and very beautiful, the Vitantonio-Bettini Funeral Home has a grotto for the viewing, and Billy had a very festive casket, there were candles and so many flowers like someone had robbed a flower shop.

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 3” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 6 – with roses” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 11” (2016)

Someone, possibly the funeral home, had also thoughtfully places a red-white-red ribbon (the Austrian national colours) across the casket, perhaps that was the one thing arranged by the family, Billy himself would probably not have been too hip on that. And there was taped music as well, Schubert’s “Ave Maria” in two versions, sung by two different divas, playing alternatively in loop.
And, surprise surprise!- Billy’s relatives showed up, the honorable Familie Weisslechner, indeed and: no way! I was not sure if they would pull through in the end or rather go window shopping or to some high end art gallery opening instead, God knows. As we already knew, it was only his closer relatives, meaning his mom and a sister (I knew so far from one photograph of her vacationing in Saint Tropez). They looked perfect, too perfect indeed, like people made from plastic. Billy’s mom did manage, in time, to get her hair done, we already know that is certainly a great priority in her life, not only did she get her hair done, her daughter, Billy’s sister, got hers done in the same elegant prom queen style, (a fact that could probably be explained by the hotel hairdresser at PRINCESS ISABEL.)
They seemed to move in sync. Also in pretty much every other way they looked like identical twins, only that Billy’s sister had a more oily complexion or a sweaty face or something, and Billy’s mom seemed more pale, but maybe just a question of make-up. Needless to add: they looked not in the slightest little bit like Billy, at least not the Billy we knew.

According the occasion they came dressed to a T, engulfed in a cloud of very expensive (and a tic too much) perfume, the kind you don’t come across anywhere near Cooks Lane. And they smiled, a lot, particularly into the camera, with a passion, although they came equipped with black silken handkerchiefs that had sewn on silken handles, I guess so you could have it ready for a showy tear to wipe off and at the same time can also keep a grip on your lipstick or something like that.

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 24 – Billy’s mother and sister 2” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 25 – Billy’s mother and sister 3 – close-up” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 26 – Billy’s mother and sister 4” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 27 – Billy’s mother and sister 5” (2016)

They didn’t seem majorly upset to be honest, and after they had paid their respect or rather posed for a few shots by the casket, Billy’s mom went off by taxi to play golf and Billy’s sister was seen chatting flirtatiously with Larry.

(Larry told us later that Billy’s sister had no real nipples, do not ask me, PLEASE, it is just one of these shoulder-shrug-cases, all one can do is put it down to “that’s just Larry” , but in this case, to be fair, one might also say perhaps “it’s just Billy’s sister” too, who knows.)

And yet, there was a huge arrangement of roses placed right by the casket, I thought it was the most beautiful arrangement there; he didn’t say anything, but checking the card it turned out the flowers actually came from Larry…
And it was Larry, who went to Billy’s casket right after the family had walked off, and I think everyone took a deep breath when he placed softly and very caringly a kiss on Billy’s forehead. Once again I am under the impression, Larry likes to act the cool guy with no feelings whatsoever, and under it all is a very different person, and also I am wondering if Larry had known of Billy’s infatuation with him, or if even something had happened between the two before Billy had died.

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 28 – Larry” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 30 – Larry kissing Billy” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 31 – Larry kissing Billy 2” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 32 – Larry kissing Billy 3” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 34 – Larry kissing Billy 5” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 36 – Larry walking off 2” (2016)