Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Rupert – Gone Home, One Year


The morning started with me telling the maintenance manager thanks for stocking “goatskin gloves” which are durable but comfortable; but more importantly, they pulled up a forgotten memory of my daddy giving me my first pair when I was a student-worker in the 70’s.  As I drank my coffee at 9am break, I remembered daddy buying me a cup of coffee at the mill storeroom, for 10 cents, one of those same summers.  

Everything we did today brought silent, secret smiles to my face – the nonsense of the crew banter (daddy loved to horseplay), someone quoting a “Lonesome Dove” line (one of RD’s favorite mini-series), the stock washer wires and lip seals we had to do today (a pulp mill scene common for daddy).  I got out of my pickup truck this morning thinking of daddy as I was listening to Jeremy Camp wailing “Jesus Saves”;  and, I had several opportunities to share a Tony Evans’ quote with contractors around me.  Again, Rupert was “apt to teach” (an elder for several years) and often placed “toilet-truth-tracts” for stall-throne reading better than the graffiti!  Mischievousness is not the only thing he passed on to me!

Sometimes, I see RD in the shadows of the pulp mill basement, aligning a pump, as I walk through, looking up and smiling at me.  You see, today, 10/26/11, is the first anniversary of the departure of my daddy, Rupert Dickson Cornelson.  He has gone home; but, his shadow and memories remain strong.

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