Reappearances

[Jeff]

As many of you know, I lost my best friend Pete this month who was also the husband of my older sister Lynda. Last weekend was the funeral. That's really not what this topic is about though.

Last Thursday at visitation at the funeral home, one of my cousins that I don't see very often approached me and give me a big Gary hug. I'm not small, but Gary towers above me. He is the brother of one of my most favorite relatives growing up, Micky McDonald.
Anyhow, he then pulled out of his pocket something I had not seen in many years. It was my Mom and Dad's wedding day picture that had hung at the old farm that I remember seeing all the time growing up. Gary has the old farm now and he thought it was something I should have, so he brought it with him and gave it to me.


 

When we got home from visitation that night there was a message on our answering machine from "Bob" Bob is the boyfriend of my cousin Rita. He has been her  boyfriend for over 45 years. He said he was bringing something for me to the funeral the next day and hoped I would be driving something that would be able to bring it home. My dad's tool chest.

My dad worked at Dow Chemical for over 30 years. He retired in 1984. When he retired, the plant carpenters and electricians and linemen presented him with a tool chest the carpenters had made, and the others had help fill with tools. They had a painter paint his name on it. I certainly remember seeing it. Any time I was at Dad's and we were working on something. The toolbox was there. When my Dad died 3 days before my birthday in 1994, I never really gave his things much thought. I was very busy working mostly 6 days a week 10-12 hours a day taking care of a young family and never gave a lot of thought to making sure what happened to dads things. Its not that I didn't care, but I was told my Uncle Ron was helping mom take care of things like that, so didn't concern myself. I did think about that tool chest from time to time after that, but never knew what happened to it until my Sister Connie died a little over a year ago. My Brother-in-law Pete, called me. He said Jeff, your Dad's Tool chest is in "Bob's" basement. Your sister Ann was told that you didn't want it, and Bob it about ready to give it to her husband, you should say something because it he does, it will be gone from you forever.

Well, I never told anyone I didn't want it. I never even knew what had become of it. So, I saw bob at my sister's funeral and told him that I did want it. He said sure, just set up a time to come and get it. Here is my number. Bob and Rita lived south of Saginaw, so it wasn't some place I would be just happening by. I tried two or three times to set up something where I could go pick it up and was always given an excuse to why I couldn't at the time. So, I basically put it to the back of my mind again for the last year or so until the phone message.

Good to his word, after the funeral last Friday, Bob came to me and said lets go get that chest out of my van.  Yup, it was dad's chest. I had not seen it in over 20 years. There were no longer any tools in it. It was completely empty. I didn't even question that. Its much more beat up now, and was quite filthy, but I'm glad to have my Dad's chest back.



  

  

  

 

So this is not the end of the reappearances.

Thursday, I went and spent the day with my sister. Wednesday was the first day she had been by herself since Pete died. I went over Thursday just to be there. She is doing well. Before I left that afternoon, she told me she had something she wanted to give me. When Dad died, he had given Lynda his old 35 marlin carbine. It was the only procession he had that I knew that had been earmarked for someone. In 1982 he put a signed dated note under the butt plate of the rifle that said it was to go to Lynda. His daughter who was a hunter. What she wanted to give me was Dad's rifle. I am sure my sister knows the great sense of lose I have in losing Pete, but Pete has 3 sons, and his guns and things were certainly going to them. Lynda has kept her own personal weapons she hunts with, but the 35 carbine, she had always planned on giving to me someday to pass on to one of my children. We put a new note, along with the old one under the butt plate, signed and dated by her, spelling out her wishes.  This gun is very special to me as well. I killed my first buck with it in 1976. I was hunting with my cousins Mickey and Gary, mentioned earlier in this long post. The gun, my dad had acquired in the early 1960's when he had bought a suite of living room furniture from the Godwins furniture store. Buy a suite of furniture, get a free deer rifle. I can betcha that is why mom got the new furniture. I remember the furniture too. It was a sectional sofa and love seat with a brown upholstery that has a lighting bolt type of texture in the weave. I can remember laying on that furniture as a child tracing the lines in the upholstery with my finger.


 

There is one more thing that I now have that I did not have a week ago,  due to the passing of Pete. And at the moment the most precious. I keep it in my pocket, and probably most always will.  Its simply one of the spent cartridges given to Lynda, that she gave to me, that was used in the 21 gun salute when we buried Pete this last week.


 

[sandsawmill14]

great story jeff glad you got those things to look at and remember those gone on. hope you and the family are doing well

[thecfarm]

What a post!!! Glad that you got those items back.

[Roxie]

It warms the heart, and moistens the eyes, when good things come to good people.  So happy for you with all your treasures.   

[47sawdust]

Great story of loss and recovery.You will find comfort in having memories re-kindled by the chest,the rifle and the spent shell.
Thank you Jeff.

[beenthere]

Thanks for sharing that with us Jeff. 

[Bruno of NH]

Great post .
I'm glad you have the things that mean a lot too you .
I have my Dads tool box of mason tools and open it some times .
It brings back the good times .
Bruno

[drobertson]

Nice,,

[samandothers]

Great stories.  Great memories.  Thanks for sharing.

[WV Sawmiller]

Jeff,

   Congratulations on being reunited with these treasures and time spent with loved ones. Sorry for the reason for the reunion but hope everyone left with some good memories.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Wow....this post was worth reading, every word of to.

[Darrel]

The mistieness of my eyes after reading this just brought to my attention the fact that we are family here on the Forestry Forum. What happens in the life of one matters to the rest of us.

My life has been forever changed.
Jeff, thanks for sharing these personal things with us.

[coxy]

yes thanks for sharing   you have a WONDERFUL family to have saved and given the treasures  back to you

[Magicman]

Simple treasures with little intrinsic value that come from the heart.  We own nothing, but are the caretakers for our assigned length of time.  We preserve, cherish, enjoy, and pass these treasures on.  Thanks for sharing this story Jeff.

[Kbeitz]

Memories that will be with you forever and also with some of us.
Nice tool box. I'm sure you will fill it up.

[Paul_H]

Very cool 

[21incher]

Great story, thanks for sharing it with us. I am sure these items will be passed on for many generations along with this post.

[yukon cornelius]

  great story! I believe those small things that pop up when you least expect them are just little signs that loved ones are watching over us.

[Chuck White]

Nice heartwarming story!

Very happy for you Jeff!

[Deese]

Thanks for sharing ;)

[isawlogs]

 I wish I could write like you, thanks for sharing mon ami! 

[Burlkraft]

That's awesome Jeff. I love that tool box. It's great that you ended up with it. Maybe with that rifle you'll see more deers.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Maybe with that rifle you'll see more deers.

[hacknchop]

Just read your post, thanks for sharring that with us its just what I needed to be reminded of the fact that there are still good people today making for great families like yours.

[Bruno of NH]

I think the dog likes the tool box