After Larry walked off Chiaki came, she hadn’t been very close with Billy as far as I know, but then again, with this story, what do we know, really?

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 43 – Chiaki” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 44 – Chiaki 2” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 47 – Chiaki 5” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 50 – Chiaki 8” (2016)

Next one was Starfish:

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 51 – Starfish saying good-bye” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 54 – Starfish saying good-bye 4” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 57 – Starfish saying good-bye 7” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 60 – Starfish walking off 3” (2016)

After walking off Starfish burst into tears, of course we all comforted him, sometimes funerals have that effect it brings it all out the last minute, when one would rather keep things straight. Oh well.

Then ChoCho, obviously feeling a connection with Billy, also kissed him good-bye:

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 63 – ChoCho at the casket” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 65 – ChoCho kissing Billy good-bye 2” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 67 – ChoCho kissing Billy good-bye 4” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 71 – ChoCho walking off 3” (2016)

Next Laila …

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 73 – Laila at the casket 3” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 76 – Laila at the casket 6” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 81 – Laila walking off 3” (2016)

And Vincent was last. He wore a tribal hat in mourning style with a black sash and armband; I was wondering what tribe the hat belonged to, as I thought Vincent was originally Kurdish, but maybe I had gotten that wrong and he was from a different tribe; impressive that he put his gear on, and I guess the whole incident had shaken him too, like most of us, quite a bit, anyways I have rarely seen Vincent so touched and fatherly:

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 83 – Vincent at Billy’s casket 2” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 86 – Vincent at Billy’s casket 5” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 87 – Vincent at Billy’s casket 6” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 90 – Vincent holding Billy’s hand” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 97 – Vincent holding Billy’s hand 8” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 101 – Vincent at Billy’s casket 9” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 100 – Vincent holding Billy’s hand 10” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 105 – Vincent at Billy’s casket 13” (2017)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 106 – Vincent walking off” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 111 – Vincent walking off 6” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 122” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 126” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Billy in the casket 125” (2016)

And then they brought Billy to the crematorium; personally I found that part the most challenging, and I may or may not have sobbed quite a bit right there, because once into the kiln you’ll never come out the same anymore, that is very clear.

Normally a family member would switch on the furnace, but at that point Weisslechners had already left for playing golf in the city and weren’t around any longer to do it. It looked like a bit of an issue there, because allegedly, legally, so the crematorium staff told us, it had to be a family member. I thought that would be it, not sure what to do in this case, when pretty unexpectedly to me anyways Larry stepped forwards and said “I’ll do it, I am his brother.” 
We were all a bit startled at that, but I guess they were glad to go on with the job so there was not much asking, and Larry pressed the button and that was that.

It took about an hour to change Billy into ashes, apparently a grown up man generally takes longer, but it was because Billy had been so skinny, and his ashes were only 2.8 pounds altogether, normally it would be heavier than that. The things you learn …
Weisslechners had not claimed the urn, neither any of the other belongings for that matter that Billy that had left in the hotel; instead they had gone on a short trip sightseeing to some major cities on this continent before returning back to their home country Austria.
“Wo wir nun schon einmal hier sind, wollen wir das Nötige mit dem Erfreulichen verbinden!” Billy’s mom had stated upon leaving us, which translates to: “Now since we are already here anyways, we want to combine the necessary with the enjoyable.” And gone. Have a fantastic trip, guys, you won’t be missed. And by the way: Fuck you, too.

And so Vincent went the next day together with Larry (still posing as Billy’s brother, to make things simple) to pick up the urn and they brought it back to the hotel (or should I say “home”?) And for time being it is here and maybe that is not a bad place for it at all.

Josiane Keller “Billy’s urn” (2016)