My Old Tattered Shoes
Written by God
And Bobbie Wilson
May 20, 2013
And Bobbie Wilson
May 20, 2013
Click on the elderly couple to email me!
The day I bought you is still so vivid
I had just turned eighteen and graduated
A gang of us had gone to town for the day
My hand-me-downs were pretty wore out
A few of us fellows were thinking the draft
Dad had always brought us up patriotic
We wanted to get a head start on gear
The army had given us a specific list to secure
Five of us were best friends always together Throughout high school we all played same sports Sam was our best quarterback ever in football
The rest of us always caught his throws
On our baseball team Sam was our best pitcher Jayme played right field fantastically for us
Mike was our super tackler on the football team Brother Levi was our stupendous catcher
August 8th our report day came quickly
We all hugged and kissed our families goodbye
Got on the bus and headed down the old dirt road
We sang and were all so happy to serve our country
Basic training was tough but we all made it through
When special training started we had all separated
Each into what we were picked to specialize in
After that we briefly saw each other occasionally
Sam rose up through the ranks real fast over time
Jayme loved his lav's he was the best driver they had
Levi became a specialist in communication
Mike chose Calvary and rose through the ranks fast
We all shipped out to different parts of the world
Kept in touch by letters and video chat occasionally
Our times in the service seem to go quickly for all
Different times of discharge came for most of us
Our brother Levi choose to make the Army his career
He choose the mountain training at Fort Drum
Levi grew with his desire to be the best he could
He was promoted to Sargent before he shipped out
Mike went onto Sacred Heart University after service
And majored in Criminal Justice and studied hard
Jayme also chose the major Criminal Justice field
They were buddy's so closely through the years
Sam went to Castine to train as a Merchant Marine
One of Sam's brothers had graduated from Castine
That was proudly their family tradition sort of
Even a sister decided on Castine out of high school
The years past as we grew older and moved all over
We looked forward to our family and friend reunions
Most all of us married had families and were close
All to soon we all were elderly and our kids had kids
One day when Mom and I were in the attic
I came across my old shoes oh the memories came
Each time the grandkids come they get me to talk
Mostly about the stories when I wore my old shoes
They would sit around my feet with rapt attention
Would hang on every word I would say to them
Must admit my stories grew over the years chuckle
I suspect they will all follow gramps story telling
It's late now and I hear Mom calling me to super
Better go for she wants us all to eat hot meals
I just love her apple pies and vanilla ice cream
Tonight we have pork chops potatoes and gravy
I had prepared a salad earlier to help Mom out
You know over the years we got good at sensing
Each others thoughts and moods and when to leave
We dearly loved each other eternally
Last fall mom past from cancer quickly
Now I sit and wander around this empty house
Tho I feel her presence everywhere wholeheartedly
She would sing and hum away as she worked
I spend a lot of my time on the porch rocking
There is no greater joy then embracing the memories
Of dear ones gone on before us we loved so deeply
I can hear mom saying don't forget your stories
Pass those old shoe stories onto the grandkids
Then they can retell your stories too as the years fly
For now tho I'll put the old shoes in the trunk in attic
To be retrieved as the grandkids visit Memorial Day
I remember the day I bought those old shoes
As I open the trunk and lay them inside I smile
For another day of story telling will be upon us soon
My stories will live on tho through the grandkids
I had just turned eighteen and graduated
A gang of us had gone to town for the day
My hand-me-downs were pretty wore out
A few of us fellows were thinking the draft
Dad had always brought us up patriotic
We wanted to get a head start on gear
The army had given us a specific list to secure
Five of us were best friends always together Throughout high school we all played same sports Sam was our best quarterback ever in football
The rest of us always caught his throws
On our baseball team Sam was our best pitcher Jayme played right field fantastically for us
Mike was our super tackler on the football team Brother Levi was our stupendous catcher
August 8th our report day came quickly
We all hugged and kissed our families goodbye
Got on the bus and headed down the old dirt road
We sang and were all so happy to serve our country
Basic training was tough but we all made it through
When special training started we had all separated
Each into what we were picked to specialize in
After that we briefly saw each other occasionally
Sam rose up through the ranks real fast over time
Jayme loved his lav's he was the best driver they had
Levi became a specialist in communication
Mike chose Calvary and rose through the ranks fast
We all shipped out to different parts of the world
Kept in touch by letters and video chat occasionally
Our times in the service seem to go quickly for all
Different times of discharge came for most of us
Our brother Levi choose to make the Army his career
He choose the mountain training at Fort Drum
Levi grew with his desire to be the best he could
He was promoted to Sargent before he shipped out
Mike went onto Sacred Heart University after service
And majored in Criminal Justice and studied hard
Jayme also chose the major Criminal Justice field
They were buddy's so closely through the years
Sam went to Castine to train as a Merchant Marine
One of Sam's brothers had graduated from Castine
That was proudly their family tradition sort of
Even a sister decided on Castine out of high school
The years past as we grew older and moved all over
We looked forward to our family and friend reunions
Most all of us married had families and were close
All to soon we all were elderly and our kids had kids
One day when Mom and I were in the attic
I came across my old shoes oh the memories came
Each time the grandkids come they get me to talk
Mostly about the stories when I wore my old shoes
They would sit around my feet with rapt attention
Would hang on every word I would say to them
Must admit my stories grew over the years chuckle
I suspect they will all follow gramps story telling
It's late now and I hear Mom calling me to super
Better go for she wants us all to eat hot meals
I just love her apple pies and vanilla ice cream
Tonight we have pork chops potatoes and gravy
I had prepared a salad earlier to help Mom out
You know over the years we got good at sensing
Each others thoughts and moods and when to leave
We dearly loved each other eternally
Last fall mom past from cancer quickly
Now I sit and wander around this empty house
Tho I feel her presence everywhere wholeheartedly
She would sing and hum away as she worked
I spend a lot of my time on the porch rocking
There is no greater joy then embracing the memories
Of dear ones gone on before us we loved so deeply
I can hear mom saying don't forget your stories
Pass those old shoe stories onto the grandkids
Then they can retell your stories too as the years fly
For now tho I'll put the old shoes in the trunk in attic
To be retrieved as the grandkids visit Memorial Day
I remember the day I bought those old shoes
As I open the trunk and lay them inside I smile
For another day of story telling will be upon us soon
My stories will live on tho through the grandkids