How Do I Remember Glenn?

Read at Glenn McConnell’s funeral

HOW DO I REMEMBER GLENN?
DOWN AT THE LUMBER YARD
I REALLY CAN’T REMEMBER WHEN
I’VE SEEN A FELLOW WORK SO HARD

HE’D TALK TO 3 MEN AT A TIME
WHILE ANSWERING THE PHONE
AND FIGURING A LIST JUST FINE
AS THOUGH HE WERE ALONE

HE’D ZOOM AROUND THE YARD AND STORE
IN A WALK, ALMOST A RUN
OCCASIONALLY YOU’D HEAR HIM ROAR
BUT BY GOSH, HE GOT THINGS DONE

I SEE HIM IN MY MEMORY
WITH THE CAP HE ALWAYS WORE
AND OH! IT’S REALLY HARD FOR ME
TO KNOW THAT I’LL SEE HIM NO MORE

SOMETIMES WE’D TRAVEL WITH OUR WIVES
TO LANDS SO FAR AWAY
AND HAVE THE BEST TIMES OF OUR LIVES
IN PLACES WE WOULD STAY

AND IF WE’D WALK IN SOME STRANGE TOWN
AND PASS A LITTLE SHOP
WE MIGHT HAVE TO TRACK GLENN DOWN
CAUSE IN THE DOOR HE’D LIKELY POP

WHEN FINALLY WE’D TURN AROUND
WE WOULD DISCOVER THEN
THAT HE WAS NO WHERE TO BE FOUND
AND WE’D ALL SAY WHERE’S GLENN?

AND SO WE FOUND IT WAS A FACT
THAT WE MUST BEAR IN MIND
IF WE WOULD KEEP OUR GROUP INTACT
DON’T LET HIM WALK BEHIND

WHEN WE’D GO IN OUR MOTOR HOMES
ONE DAY I’D GO FIRST
THE NEXT DAY WHEN WE’D START TO ROAM
OUR ROLES WOULD BE REVERSED

IF HE WAS DRIVING IN THE LEAD
AND GOT IT IN HIS MIND
THAT HE’D PUT ON A LITTLE SPEED
THEN I’D BE LEFT BEHIND

HE’D GET SO FAR AHEAD OF ME
HE’D IN HE DISTANCE VANISH
ENDLESSLY TALKING ON C. B.
TRYING TO TEACH ME SPANISH

AND THERE WERE TIMES HE’D GO SO SLOW
I’D HAVE TO RIDE THE BRAKE
TO KEEP FROM HITTING HIM YOU KNOW
IT’S TRUE FOR GOODNESS SAKE

HOW DO I REMEMBER GLENN?
IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS
A BUSY MAN WHO NOW AND THEN
WOULD STEAL AWAY FOR A FEW DAYS

A MAN WHO TRIED TO GET THINGS DONE
AND USUALLY SUCCEEDED
MANY TIMES HE WAS THE ONE
THAT MY PERFORMANCE NEEDED

A MAN WHO MEANT A LOT TO ME
RIGHT UP UNTIL THE END
I GRIEVE FOR HIM BECAUSE YOU SEE
HE WAS A REAL TRUE FRIEND