One of the things in life I value most are my friends. Good friends make life so much better. Mr. Ed, as everyone at Siding Associates called him, was a great friend. We had a lot of common interests. He came from the “old school” and had his ideas about what should or should not be. We had many great discussion from religion to politics. He was our driver who delivered and picked up siding for our business. I was very sad when he passed away from pneumonia one of the last years I worked there. This poem is my tribute to him.
Found a good friend at my last job
We called him Mr. Ed not Jim or Bob
A kindred spirit we hit it off right away
Shared many discussions and stories along the way
In the winter of his life he wanted to work
He was not one to sit at home and perk
Drove our old Ford pick-up all across town
Delivered supplies and siding all around
To the bank, to the job, and picked up our biscuits
At Oak Level Café as regular as the clock ticks
Our go-to guy dependable as the sun
In spite of emphysema he was not really done
Forty years of puffing had clogged his lungs
But that didn’t stop him from having lots of fun
Sales were slow wooden pallets were many
He wanted a Rocker so I got him one ready
Recycled oak
cleaned, sanded, and finished
Copied from an old one in spite of nail blemish
We rocked together between his runs
He was a joy to know and a lot of fun
His dry sense of humor was filled with wit
Gave us many laughs that left us in a stitch
I loved him like a father he returned the love
Until pneumonia brought his calling form above
He fought it bravely but his body was done
We lost Mr. Ed and all of his fun
I lost a good friend but not the memories
Of his smile his jokes and all of his stories
I see his old truck and it makes me smile
He loved to drive he put on many a mile
He was a great friend as I sat by his side
Gone but not forgotten
He was born to ride.
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Photos: Dwight L. Roth & Dan Neice
Pallet Rocker made by Dwight L. Roth
Really beautiful poem
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Thanks for reading!
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Beautiful 💗
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What a wonderful and beautiful tribute to your dear friend in words and images, Dwight. I found this quite moving. I like the rocker you made him from recycled oak.
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I really appreciate your kind words.
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