Red Box

A dusty red Craftsman toolbox
It's not one of the nice ones
It's one of the low rent ones
One of the ones you buy
When you just need something toolboxy
Something metal with drawers
Nothing fancy

That was him though
We need to get from point A to B
What do we need to get there
And that's what he'd get
Hence the inexpensive Craftsman box

Inside are the beginnings of a tool kit
Things to repair clocks
Things to hold small things
Things to help keep you busy
In the twilight of your life
Small busy jobs
For idle hands

Because that's what retirement is supposed to be

But none of it really ever got used
Retirement was neither as idle
Nor as long
As he would have wished
So there it has sat
For over five years
Taking up space in his widow's garage
My mother's garage
Gathering dust
And generally reminding the world
Or at least whomever saw it
Of some of the things that were supposed to be

I collected it today
Getting my black shirt all dusty
Placing it in the back of the van
Taking it for the two mile ride to my house
To my garage
Where it will gather some more dust maybe

But maybe
Where I'll use the tools
With my idle hands
Keeping them busy
Much like his still should be
If life was as fair
As some people think it should be