Almost any funeral director will tell you their profession does make them a bit of a special breed that is unlike most of your other friends. So, if you’re thinking of being friends with a funeral director, here are just of few things you may want to be aware of.

Funeral Directors Have Horribly Unpredictable Schedules

Unfortunately, death does not exclusively take place weekdays

between the hours of 9:00am and 5:00pm. It can happen (and usually does) in the middle of a round of golf, on the day you were expecting help moving or in the middle of your birthday party. A funeral director is likely to abandon you or stand you up when you need them. But keep in mind – it’s only because someone else needs them even more. Of course, if spending time with your funeral director friend is really important to you, let them know and they may enlist your help with some of their work-related calls.

Conversations Are Rarely Dull

Ask a funeral director about the day they had every day for a month and you are likely to get 30 stories each different from the other. They will range from touching to hilarious, making stops at outrageous, tragic and distasteful, but never boring. Can you say that about any of your other friends? Funeral directors also tend to have a great, albeit rather dark, sense of humour. Probably because they are reminded daily about the fleeting nature of life, they tend to relish every moment, have a great time and enjoy themselves whenever the opportunity arises.

Funeral Directors Need Friends Too

Don’t be offended if your funeral director friend declines your invitation for dinner a few times in a row. It isn’t personal; it’s simply an occupational hazard. Their schedules are unpredictable, and sometimes they can go long periods without seeing their own family, much less their friends. And be patient if they are a bit down from time to time. Despite the rewarding aspects of the job, there are days that will be more tragic than others; that will have a greater impact on their moods. These may be the times they need your friendship the most.

In the plus column, however, people who have chosen funeral direction as a career tend to having generous and giving personalities and can be very empathetic: all great traits for a good friend, don’t you think?