Ex-Sequitur

As I have written earlier, I'm slowly sifting through boxes of Dad's stuff. He died almost five years ago now, so the memories brought back by material findings are less the removal of scabs and more the flashes of distant memories. Sometimes they're strange, and sometimes they're funny.

It's amazing what my dad saved (did I mention his pack-rat gene?). In one folder labeled "Kid Stuff," boxed for storage with medical records, tax receipts, and mortgage payments, I found a stack of yellow-lined sheets, torn from a legal pad that used to sit below the phone in the kitchen. We used it to write phone messages for each other. They are undated, but from the handwriting and subject material, they date to the years when both Chris and I were in high school. Here are some of the highlights:

"Dr. Tyler,

Chris + I have gone to Perkins for breakfast. We'll call you around 11:30am.

Pez"

What's Chris doing getting his friend to do his note-leaving?

"Dad,

Dave + I are on the RR tracks. We'll be back by 9:20.

Love Chris"

"Railroad tracks"!? And is that 9:20 pm?

"Dad,

I took the van to run an ^emergency^ [inserted later] errand. Won't use much gas. Be back by 3:00pm."

Love, Chris"

Yeah, of course we never used much gas . . .

"Dad,

I'm playing pool with Pez, be home by 10:40pm. If Jill should get here a few minutes before me, she can just come in.

Love, Chris"

Gosh, good thing my dad was a hospitable guy. Sure, Chris--whatever you say!

"Dad--

In Kutztown as of 6:30pm--have Chris' car (w/ permission!), be back late (!)."

[unsigned, but my handwriting]

I wonder if got Chris' permission before I took the car.

"Dad,

Dave + I are out playing pool. [Diagram of pool table included, in case my dad thought--what else would he think?] We'll be back or call or something.

Chris"

It's the "or something" that parents always have to worry about.

"Dad,

Here's $19. The one was sucked into the void of my pocket, mysteriously vanishing. Hopefully it will be found.

Would it be possible for me to get Grandpa's Moravian lib. card tomorrow (Mon)? I just need 3 books.

Thanx for the $

Chris"

"into the void of my pocket"? And what better way to distract a parent from a lost dollar than to make request for a library card. Was my brother smooth or what?

And my personal favorite:

"Dad,

Small problem w/ muffler. It is in the trunk. The pipe fell off at one point, and is somewhere on the streets of the North side. The main part broke off (it was rusted, as you can see), but was saved. It is just a little noisier now.

Chris"

Yeah, no problem, Dad. Just a little noisier now . . .

~emrys