Who’d push your button?

The wife and I are finally watching the series Six Feet Under, and in addition to being a bang-up show, it really gets the gears going on the subject of your mortality and, more importantly, who you leave behind. In the final episode of the second season, Nate informs a dying man that he can dictate who pushes the button at the crematory to “do the deed”. [cue The Doors, Light My Fire]

The idea brings up so many questions for me. Would I want to specify who fires up the oven? Would it matter? Could I really lay something like that on my wife, my friend, or my parents? Would you want someone in particular to light your fire? Would you be up to the task of pushing someone’s button?

Morbid thoughts, indeed, but it seemed to take the “I bought a funeral plot today and I’d like you to be my pallbearer” thing to a whole new level.