Today, 6/6/18, marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Bobby Kennedy, and I have one question. If another train comes by with the coffin of someone great, Would You come down to say good-bye?
Would You?
While the train slowly glides on by
Carrying Bobby to his solemn grave,
Great throngs gathered by the tracks;
Hats in hand, hearts beating, so mournful, so sad.
Would you go down today?
If that same train came your way,
Would you shed a tear?
Would you bow and pray?
Would you go on down as the train passed your way?
Would you?
I would never do it for a politician but maybe for someone famous who touched my life. Maybe for Kate Spade to show that I feel for her pain to take her own life.
We were all housed in the West Side Motel for my cousin's wedding to an Italian princess of Manhattan and a daughter of St. Pat's school. Quite a step up from my cousin's lowly beginnings in a small town of 300 people in central Wisconsin. When we arrived at the motel from Philadelphia, my grandmother told me that she walked the four blocks to the Cathedral that morning, waited in line for four hours and passed by Bobby's coffin as he lay in rest there.
I had left a new girlfriend in California, arrived at my twin brother's place in Philly two days before and hardly had seen or heard the news of Bobby's death. Probably because I had no TV and only listened to music on the radio. Anyway, that evening we had rehearsal at Immaculate Consumption Cathedral because my cousin wasn't Catholic so they couldn't get married in St. Patrick's anyway. Lucky for them because their wedding would have been postponed for the viewing.
The next day was the wedding and we were very busy, unable to go see Bobby. So I came very close, but missed the train.
It was a different time, and RFK was something extra special who touched peoples lives. A few years back, Pres. George w. Bush came through our town in his bus. He didn't stop, but people lined the street hoping to get a glimpse of him. I wasn't among them, But I would do it for Trump's funeral, but only to celebrate. Our country needs a uniting voice like Kennedy's now more than ever.
Good soul-searching questions, Dan. I'm thinking only a small handful would even care anymore. From what we experience here daily in SoCal; society is nauseatingly obsessed with self, taking selfies, and self-interest. Perhaps the only way these types would even know the train was going by is if they accidentally took a picture of it with their iPhone. Enjoyed your thoughts. Peace. r
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Sandie
I had left a new girlfriend in California, arrived at my twin brother's place in Philly two days before and hardly had seen or heard the news of Bobby's death. Probably because I had no TV and only listened to music on the radio. Anyway, that evening we had rehearsal at Immaculate Consumption Cathedral because my cousin wasn't Catholic so they couldn't get married in St. Patrick's anyway. Lucky for them because their wedding would have been postponed for the viewing.
The next day was the wedding and we were very busy, unable to go see Bobby. So I came very close, but missed the train.
Ron