On a snowy Saturday in January, I received another box from my step-sister. I never know when one of these will derail my day, by how much, or with what … energy. Sometimes, the random bits of my Father’s things seem alien and out of place. Other times, there’s an electric connection - or another wave of grief that I can’t phone him up to ask about these latent barnacles of existence. The one emotion that’s totally consistent is gratitude. I’m grateful for the generosity of her time, and the care with which she treats every remaining crumb of his life. I’m grateful for the chance to paw through this detritus. And, I’m grateful for having had the kind of relationship with my father that makes it worth doing.

Today’s trove included a Bureau of Mines safety training notebook that belonged to my Grandfather, who was a mine inspector. I never knew my Grandfather. So, artifacts from his life always hold extra fascination. In the back of the notebook were some handwritten notes. One of them a manuscript of a poem, apparently written by Granddad on Feb 16, 1956:

Aboard this train of life and time
we've passed the stations, forty-nine.
The brakeman called the station gruffly:
“Wake up people we are nearing fifty.”
The brakes were applied with terrible sound
but the train hasn't stopped, it's just slowed down
nor will it stop for anyone
to make amends for anything undone
but the train rolls on with speed so high
and only slows down as the years go by
to remind us we're nearing Grand Central Station
that call will be broadcast to every nation
the grand conductor is kind, sympathetic, and true
also wise: He knows all about you.
Just where you are going he also knows why
don't try to deceive him there's no use to try.

- John Bailey, 2-16-1956

In the pages of the notebook was the photo of Granddad, taken about the same year as he wrote the verse. I thought it would be fun to update Granddad’s medium to one he would never have imagined, to share his poem and likeness. I hope he will excuse my editorial addition of punctuation. And, I hope you found this worth the short read.