Tuesday, March 29, 2005
That Day
I'll never forget the day when we walked into that building, hand in hand, looking for something we thought we'd never find. On that day I saw your soul, I saw a side of you I hadn't seen before, and I am eternally grateful that I was privileged to observe that moment.I opened the door for you, as a gentleman is supposed (I know I'm not one, but I can pretend) and you passed by me with all the grace and elagence of a woman of your stature. Your dark blue eyes glowed with the memories of the time you had spent in that building, and you told me the tales of your adventures there in FFA. When you learned the ins and outs, whose and what's, whys and hows of ranching. You had done well, after all, you came from a long line of people in that trade.Now the building was silent. You could never go there as you once had, but you knew, somewhere, maybe in a box, was a picture of the man responsible for your greatest passion.Strolling through dimly lit hallways and empty stair wells, your eyes nearly burst from your head as you looked for the photograph of your great-grandad, Earl. The man who was forever a myth to you, easily the rival of Hercules or Apollo, and in my time with you I have begun to feel the same...After what seemed like a long time, you felt as if I were bored and for my sake, you wished to leave. As we were just about to depart, I heard the distinct sound of a fellow human being in that derelict building and I went to investigate, which was by far the smartest thing I had done that day.I asked the secretary where his picture was, I explained to her who you were and what it meant to you. I got the information we sought and you gave me a look of gratitude and admiration as my reward...We went to the wall of honored cattlemen. I went right and you went left, I looked but did not find, I think he was guiding you to his picture, because you found him almost instantly.The photo was taken in 1964, and it meant more to you today than it had to anybody else in its 41 years on the wall. Through all my well intentioned bumbling on your behalf, I was given a glimpse into your soul that I was enraptured to experience.Your eyes lit up with a furious intensity as you gazed, awe-struck, at his photo, soaking up every detail, reading every letter and scanning the surface's every inch, soaking in the beauty of your lineage.Your mouth gaped open at this man, he meant so much to you. Without him you wouldn't be who you were. Without him there would be no Monahan Cattle Co. And without him and his ilk there would be no western Nebraska. All these things meant more to you than I could ever comprehend, and nothing showed that better than your face.I wish I had a camera with me or could draw, sculpt or paint. If I could I would have immortalized that moment, as you looked at your hero. I wish I could show everyone what your soul looked like, your true inner beauty.Alas I am no artist and that moment will live on only in my memory.It is a memory I shall cherish forever though, it was a family reunion from beyond the grave and the day I realized day Earl Monahan wasn't dead, he was alive in you and would exist as long as you did...
posted by Dan # 12:06 AM 8 comments