It took me a while, but eventually I did become quite comfortable with their particular brand of humor and occassionaly utilized it myself."
In my case, I had a Double Whammy. Worked in and around medicine for 19 years, the last 15 in a major teaching hospital in North Carolina as a Department Secretary.
If that alone were not enough to gain warped humor, my office was across the basement hall from the Hospital Morgue. If the attendant was out and Security was busy, I stepped in to release bodies to the coroner or funeral home.
Needless to say, I learned how to put "life" in its proper place, gaining perspective that serves one well.
There were a lot of interesting lessons therein I've related here before to the regulars, but you might appreciate hearing them.
There was a major developer of malls and apartment complexes over several states who lived in Greensboro - seemed to be something of a workaholic, and his wife (in her 40's) had had some problems. One night she apparently left their bed, went to the enclosed garage and used carbon monoxide to leave this life.
It so happened when they came to take her to Raleigh for the autopsy, the Log I had to complete stated she had 'belongings.'
The transporter and I looked on the gurney and all around, and finally I spied a plastic bag on the radiator - contained the flimsy nightgown she had been wearing.
With all their millions and everything she could have wanted, it had not brought her happiness.
She left this world with what she had when she entered it - absolutely nothing...
In contrast was when I released the body of a man in his 20's who was slightly retarded, and had moved to Greensboro to stay with friends and find employment.
Unfortunately, he stepped off the curb of a major thoroughfare into the path of a moving vehicle.
Again - the Log stated he had belongings, and we looked for them.
In his case, he was still fully clothed and had a watch on his wrist and a short winter jacket.
In the pocket of the jacket and next to his heart, was The New Testament!
I thus could conclude volumes about his journey....
Then there was the time a fellow came alone to get a body, despite every funeral home in the area informed we did not furnish orderlies to assist them, and to have two come for the deceased.
This fellow was quite agitated and hostile when I showed up to release to him, amd obviously was not going to help him transfer the deceased from the autopsy gurney to his cart.
To show me just how furious he was, he attempted to "gross me out," unzipping the zipper on the body bag, exposing - well - a totally empty and wide open cavity from the breastbone to the pelvis, to shock me.
He was SO disappointed when I did not react...:))
LOL
Taking my cue from St. Paul, speaking of his afflictions, I knew the body was merely a temporary shell that encased the soul while on earth, and was not in itself morbid.