Awhile back I wrote a post called "Working with History" about my career with the railroad. One of the central characters of my career was mentioned in that and his name was Bill Stokoe. He was a great signalman, a patient mentor(as long as he liked you), a good boss and a good friend. On top of all that, he was a husband. He was married to his wife, Betty, for 40 or so years. They had a very interesting life together living in the old outfit cars as Bill worked wherever the work was. She has been writing a story about all of that for years and I hope that she someday ties it all up.

Bill passed away a few years ago and Betty moved to Arizona to be closer to her family. Until that time I didn't realize how close friends Betty and I had become. She was always there when I was around Bill at home and we always spent time talking, sometimes more time than I spent talking with Bill! When Bill was sick I no longer lived in Tehahapi, but made time to go by and see him. Betty would always let me know how things were really going and how he was doing. Sometimes she and I would spend awhile talking about things other than Bill's health and I could tell she enjoyed the distraction.

When she moved we kept in touch via e-mails and traded pix of our lives once in awhile. Anytime I travelled to Tehachapi and went down Main St past their old place with all the signals in the back yard, I would remember Bill and think fondly of Betty. Memories of Bill traipsing around piddling with his signals, Betty at her table in the house hammering away at her writing and always with a smile and something friendly and funny to say. Spending forty years with Bill demanded a good sense of humor and endless patience and she has both in spades.

Well, two weeks ago I got an E-mail from Betty saying she would be in Tehachapi for a couple of weeks and wanted to get together, then I got a call from her when she got to town. There was no doubt that time would be taken from my schedule to see her. Finally, last Saturday I was able to get up to see her. We hed the usual talk that comes with not having seen someone in awhile. How's everyone, ect..You know. Then she came and sat next to me and we talked of life. When she says "So, Mark, how are you doing"? she means it. It's not idle chat to be blown off. She want's to know how I am. I very rarely discuss my personal problems outside a close few friends, and she is one. I am going through some very tough times right now and she knew it. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she knew something was wrong and she was there to listen and offer good advice. Not the unsolicited cliche advice so many people seem to feel the need to pour on you in times of trouble, but heart felt stuff aimed at making my heart, mind and soul feel better. She is one of the people in my life who cares for me and you can never have too many friends like that.

She told me that she was thinking of moving back to Tehachapi and we talked about her reasons for that for awhile. She had some properties she wanted to see and wanted my opinion about them. "Get a man's perspective" she said. It made me feel so good to be able to give her a hand. A little repayment for all the advice and understanding over the years, and I was only too happy to help. As we looked at one of the places she talked of not wanting to intrude on her friends to give her a hand should she need it. I told her that's what friends are for and I was just down in Bakerfield should she need me. She just walked over and hugged me and it was at that point I truly realized how long we had been friends. After looking at the homes we went to lunch and spent an hour there talking of things.

As we sat and chatted, Betty handed me a little bag. Inside was some of Bill's Southern Pacific jewerly. This is not stuff you can buy. It is all made from the emblems on the old Southern Pacific dinnerware. Bill would get his hands on some of the stuff and have a jeweler cut the emblems out and mount them in various settings. In this batch was a bolo tie, watchband, a couple of pins..it was very cool. She wanted me to have it. I just sat there and looked it for awhile. She had told me on the phone she had some stuff she wanted to give me, but knowing she knew my love of books, I figured it would have been something along those lines. I had no idea her gift, and by extension, Bill's gift, would be something so personal and rare. I was nearly overcome as I sat there looking these pieces I had seen Bill wearing so many times.

I may..MAY..put one of my gold watches on the band, but the rest of it will be put away in a safe place. A place of honor. I will get it out and tell my jewelery and railroad fan frineds.."See! Look what I got"..and "No, you can't have it and I won't sell it". No, these pieces will become family heirlooms, and hopefully, my kids will pass them down to future generations and not put them on e-bay when I pass on.

I know Betty will read this, so I will say it here. Thanx Betty, this is one of the coolest most heartfelt gifts anyone has ever given me. I will cherish and care for them till I die. As a selfish man, I hope you do come home so I can see you more than just once every three or four years! Thanx again and I love you!