Memorial to a saw mill man

[Texas Ranger]

A long time saw mill man died this past weekend, Ben Ogletree, 93.  First mill man I met in Texas back in the '60's.  He wrote this a few years back, and one of his sons handed it out at the visitation last night.  A fitting tribute to a man that worked his mill for 70 years.



A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SAWMILL MAN



By: Ben R. Ogletree Sr.



Listen my children, I'll tell you if I can, of a day in the life of a sawmill man.

He arose this morning before the dawn, and put his boots and work clothes on,

He fed the dog and put out the cat, took his ten year old hard hat

And started out upon his way, to try to make another day.



His help mate lingered in her bed, she wasn't feeling good she said

Just seemed to have no push and go, watched the late, late T.V. show.

Just let her sleep she's snug and warm, doing no one any harm,

She'll get up when the notion hits her, just in time to paint a picture,

Feed the birds, check their sitting, then continue with her knitting.



To McDonalds, eats his fill, then on out to the old sawmill,

Couldn't figure what to do, he's three men short in a six man crew.

The clean-up man he'll have to try, he grabs two mill hands passing by,

Finally got the sawmill running, dry kiln drying, planer humming.

Ran on fine, till nine half past, planer drive shaft broke in half,

Took three hours time to fix it, whole crew loafing on expenses.



Two O'clock and back on track, three of the crew didn't make it back.

Planer fan is low on suction, whole day spent with half production.

Quitting whistle blows at five, mill crew suddenly comes alive.

Running fast to all get gone, they'll drag back slowly tomorrow dawn.



Homeward plops his weary way, just in time to hear her say

"Rush real fast don't take a seat, tonight we're going out to eat,

I've spent the day in Deerbrook Mall, Don't feel like cooking home at all,

We're eating out and don't you know, you'll get to choose the place we go."



Back home at last and some T.V., and when the daily news he sees,

It's time for him to go to bed and kneeling low this prayer he said,

"Dear Lord I thank you for this day, It's been a little rough I'd say,

I'm not complaining, I'm not crying, So many I know are sick or dying,

I thank you Lord I still can go, not very fast, not all that slow,

Before I close this prayer I'll say, Please make tomorrow an easier day."

"This post script now I feel I must, the next day was one hundred plus."

[Frank_Pender]

Thank You Don.  I often resemble that entire poem, all the way from the Tin Hat to the last line for the following day.  Yesterday was the poem: 2 flats on the Gator, a bumbling mistake on the Mill in adjustment (my fault) and a dinner of "my choice", hot ham and cheese sandwich with cold beans, for dinner.  It is a true loss when the experience we have learned from is no longer in our midst.  We sometimes want to give them a call for guidance or what should I do next, kind of questions.  Or, we say to ourselves,  I should had spent more time or listened more closely the first time".   We then discover to late that there is no second time or chance.  They are special people in our lives and I have tried dilligently to listen closely the first time.

[Jeff]

Thanks Don.

I hope I aint sawing wood at 93 but I sure hope I can if I want to. I was going to ask at what point in his life he wrote this, but then, it really does not matter. Being a sawmill man would bring just a different version of the same story on almost any day, and by almost any other sawmill man.

I can sure relate.

[timberbeast]

Thanks,  Don.  My uncle,  87 now,  is still putting in his time in the woods and swamp.  And I can still hear my Pop,  10 years gone now,  rousing me at an ungodly hour,  with a smile in his voice:  "Let's Kill Some Shade!!!!,   Coffee's On,  Get Your Boots On!!"
If I wasn't dressed in 5 minutes,  I'd hear a Stihl next to my head!!!!   *DanG,  I miss him!

[Bud Man]

"The Life Of A TaskMaster",  Ben Ogletree sounds like such a man !  The kind of people I call Doer"s. They all develop as if they were from the same bolt of cloth. Their everywhere and in every profession and there the ones that get out of bed in the morning and make things happen ! Their both Male and Female !  Most had a taskmaster in the home that instilled the work ethic within them and they instill it in their offspring as well.  As we come in contact with them we call ourselves disliking their driving ways and relentless march to finality of a task at hand.  If were lucky we came  in contact with them early and often in life so we too can learn  "The Work Ethic"  It takes some vision at an early age to appreciate them and understand them, but the earlier we do, we seem to really appreciate their influence on our lives !  I've met many TaskMasters, grew up surrounded by them, and I'm the better for appreciating their ways early in life !  They come in Two Flavors, those that stop and smell the Roses once in a while , and those that seem never to be able to enjoy more than their work or chosen profession or task at hand ! The one's that enjoy the journey and smell the roses and can see beyond the daily task at hand are very special indeed. They are the folks in our lives that make it, in an ironic way, more rewarding than it would be without their presence, and are in many ways what make's life special. I like both flavors but I go out of my way to make the more relentless of the two stop and smell the roses. Sometimes you have to physically ram the rose up their nose but when they've smelled them there the most appreciative of all !!  If you know one that doesn't seem to know what a rose is go the extra mile and introduce a rose to him or her and thank your lucky stars you crossed their path's !!