26 Years of Letters!

26 Years of Letters

I am spending some time
in my basement these days,
hauling up old boxes
that always seem in the way.

They are things from my past,
the clutter I have saved,
things I couldn't throw away,
whether or not I had behaved.

I found old bottles and jars
that I kept for pocket change;
I even found old beer signs
which to me, now, is strange.

I then came upon several boxes,
which showed the stress of pastime,
and in them were hundreds of letters,
former lovers, friends; lost in time.

I found loving cards and letters,
from relatives who have "passed,"
with their handwritten thoughts and words
that very quickly brought me to the past.

26 years of letters,
all preserved; envelopes and all,
as I sat in my living room reliving
life with these people; well, at the best I could recall.

"You're a special Grandson," writes Papa,
A post card of love from Grammy Green,
"Ron you are special" from Celeste,
and so many more in-between.

I found small Valentine Cards
addressed to Uncle Ron,
from my nieces; Jessica and Val,
I thought these were really long gone.

I had letters of wisdom and love,
from the people that shaped my life,
and some were kind of naughty,
which made me smile rather bright.

I was brought back in time,
to when life was really new,
when I was making my way,
and I thought I knew what to do.

The Letters made me happy,
and some made me sad,
I am caught in an emotional time warp
with all my old comrades.

"2 Weeks until we're roommates again,"
was written on the envelope,
and inside Eric said to me,
"You've designed our room, I hope!"

Patti sent me lots of cards,
with funny stories of her life,
Scott sent me details of parties
where he searched for his future wife.

There was one box full of Pat letters,
man, we dated an awfully long time,
and our ups and downs are documented
for a long, long, time.

Pat certainly loved me,
"Forever and ever," she would write,
and when I asked about her boss Paul,
she would say my thinking wasn't right.

That made me laugh out loud,
for in the future she did marry Paul.
I ran into her last year at Wal*Mart
"I still have all your letters," She recalls.

I then open some notes from Andy,
my pastime really good friend,
we shared so much of our lives,
our studies, our dreams, and girlfriends.

He went into the service,
as we continued to weekly write,
he said I helped him through
some really tough days and nights.

He was homesick and lonely,
and we would write all the time,
"We are Brothers Forever"
for now and all time.

Andy and I haven't talked,
or written for several years,
and the letters brought me back,
to another time and some tears.

Even Pat's letters moved me,
wondering if I missed out on true love,
but then I read the letters from Paul,
and I realize it's really a blessing from above.

I found my high school graduation booklet,
listing all my classmate's names,
and I wonder where they all are,
and if they have letters they've reclaimed.

I had dozens of cards from Sue,
and their nasty written words,
they made me laugh once again,
with all the famous 80's catchwords.

The notes of flirtation
from Bonnie were crude,
but at my age back then,
I bet it got me in the mood!

And Jeff jotted down the places
where he came and he went,
the people he did meet
and the women he'd invent.

Dave kept me informed
of how marriage changed his life,
how having a young baby
forever altered him and his wife.

I found the glass souvenir
from my senior year Prom,
with all the details written
when I thought I was "the bomb!"

I came across sympathy cards
from many of my friends,
who gave me their condolences
for the lives I had to see end.

As I went through these cards,
my son came by to visit,
and my daughter joined in
as I showed them special snippets.

I forgot I had these letters,
and why should I care now,
but as I throw them away,
I feel really sad somehow.

I can keep them in the basement,
for another 26 years,
and if I die in the interim,
nothing will be as it appears.

My children or family will find them,
and say, "Why did he want to save these?"
and into the trash they will go
without a care or a moments worry.

So I am throwing away the letters,
and letting my past go away as well,
and for Pat, Patti, Eric, Andy and others,
I bid these memories farewell.