Today we farewelled our Papou. He always wanted a small funeral but he wouldn’t have wanted this. Ten of us, separated into individual pews. Two uniformed police officers watching our every move. Neither bowed their head as the boys carried my Papou’s coffin out of the church.

Papou left Greece during the military junta, only to have cops policing his funeral here. I understand social distancing is imperative to keeping everyone safe but surely there has to be a better way of enforcing it? Couldn’t officers just watch from their cars?

Couldn’t they have worn plain clothes? Or taken their vests and guns off? Or simply paid some respect to the dead?

The funeral director told me police have attended almost every service he has run since the March 22 changes. Is this something happening at all funerals or just at Greek Orthodox churches?

Anyway, here’s a cute photo of him and my dog Coco to make me feel better. When my Yiayia died he took her for a couple of years and they would eat, sleep and smoke together. He would pick me up from school and then go home to slow cook her dinner. I hope they’ve been reunited.