Sunday, October 14, 2012

Remembering

My dad was a railroad man.
Here he is at work in Prescott Arizona.
This picture of him appeared in
April 1980.
~
Hearing trains clickity clack down the tracks
and
train whistles blowing
was the sound-track of my early years.  
~
The night my dad died I was on my way to the hospital
to see him,
and had to cross the RR tracks.
A train was coming. 
It blew it's whistle really long and loud.
It was blowing longer and more mournful
than I have ever heard before.
It gave me cold chills.
I knew
it was for my dad.
~
The day my brother died
I heard another
 long low train whistle
off in the distance
and knew
he was leaving us as well.
~
 
linked to
remembering

10 comments:

  1. My grandpa was a railroad man. I have many memories tied to trains and their whistles, too. There's just something so unique about the sound of a train...mournful and mysterious.

    ReplyDelete
  2. i live a stones throw away from these tracks. i will think of you, your father and brother every time i see the depot here in prescott.
    heart wrenching post gemma.
    something so filled with longing and endless goodbyes, the lonesome whistle of a distant train.

    loving your dad in the window of the 303!

    ReplyDelete
  3. My Grandfather Clemente worked for Southern Pacific way in the day. Beautiful post. I so love the sound of whistles of trains going by. I always transport myself to the boxcar, why I don't know, but I do. Very nice remembrance.

    ReplyDelete
  4. It never ceases to amaze me how connected we are and how you knew when you heard those train whistles... Thank you for sharing this story of your father and your brother, for sharing this remembering of your heart...

    ReplyDelete
  5. This gives me chills. Both of my grandfathers worked on railroads and my son loved them as a little kid.
    Rinda

    ReplyDelete
  6. My Dad worked for a time for a railroad ~ Love your photo and loving post about your Dad ~ sending you lots of hugs ~ (A Creative Harbor)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Some people have signs messages you have yours and I suppose the railway will always remind you of good times and bad. Blessings L

    ReplyDelete
  8. How blessed to have had such a special goodbye not only from your dad, but from your brother (although it may be that your dad said goodbye on your brother's behalf?). As Seattle Sleuth said-there is no death-just a changing of worlds.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Great picture of your dad, and very touching about the train whistles, very special! Have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
  10. This really tugged at my heart. We hear trains all the time here and now when I hear the whistle I will think of this post. SOmetimes when I hear it in the middle of the night and the rumbling down the tracks....it can be lulling.
    Love to you!! XOXO

    ReplyDelete