When the Ghost of Christmas-Yet-To-Come shows Scrooge the Cratchit mourning Cratchit household, Bob Cratchit —the Father— is absent. He is late returning from selecting a grave-plot for Tiny Tim who has passed away and lays in state until that coming Sunday when they will burry him. Bob is not late because of the errand, he is late because “he has walked a little slower than he used, these few last evenings…” (Christmas Carol, Stave 4) explains Peter, the eldest Cratchit boy.