Wonderful thread Jerry. The kind of Mudcat chat that I dearly love.

Sadly, I have very few keepsakes from my parents. My dad died when I was 18, and I'm afraid neither of us really understood each other very well. I had entered my own little world a few years earlier (absolutely necessary for my emotional survival at the time) and it was years later that I went through the contents of the one article of his that didn't get lost or misplaced over the years.

It was his leather briefcase, and inside I found several fascinating things. A magazine where he was named "Pharmaceutical executive of the year", complete with testimonials from folks all over Canada and the U.S. as to how much he was liked and respected by his fellow pharmacists, from the ones who had stayed as small town store owners, to the ones who ended up CEOs of big companies.

A couple of cartoons that I'd drawn when I was about 10.

Also a half-written book called "Dear Doctor", crammed with humourous anecdotes about the relationship between those who manufactured the "miracle drugs" and those who dispensed them. Very funny writing. I had no idea he wanted to be a writer. Wish he'd finished and published it.

Also, a Mason's apron and some documents and pins. Don't remember him ever going to a meeting, so I guess it was one of those hereditary memberships passed on to him by HIS dad.

Some WW11 medals and patches from his time in the Army from 39 to 45, mostly spent in France. I still have difficulty knowing how those marriages stayed together with so much separation....but the vast majority did. I suspect my Mum put these things in the old briefcase after he died.

And yes...I thought about these things when I first heard Sandy sing your song.

Cheers

Rick