A different kind of treasure!

[cobaltbot]

Saturday morning I went and picked up Charlie from his house in Joppa, Md and brought him up across the Mason Dixon line to our place near Delta. I’ve been to his place numerous times but I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time. We ate breakfast with my wife and youngest daughter at the local watering hole then I drove him around to see the local sites like the quarries, the Delta Jail, local churches, cemeteries, my dig at Stonetown, etc. and we stopped and talked with folks along the way. We then went to the house where I showed him some of my bottles and then we took a ride on the railroad. It was the greatest of days and I took him home at supper time.

I met Charlie while digging a couple years ago. I stopped by his house because it was the closest one to a dump I found and wanted to dig. We became fast friends and he has become a mentor to me even at my geezer age. My wife took this picture of us on the Ma & Pa Railroad. He is the oldest person in the 23 years we have been riding the rails to have ridden our railroad cart. God willing, and believe me this man knows God, he will be 99 December 2nd!!!

 

[madman]

hey steve yes that is a treasure speaking with an elder is very rewarding much respect! is the track buggie motorized!

 

[RedGinger]

What a cool day! 99 is awesome. Did you know that Joppa Road was an old Indian trail?

 

[cowseatmaize]

I have the greatest respect for my elders. In fact I'm jealous of them. They always remember so much of their entire life and I can't remember yesterday. I can never tire of 5 cent loaf of bread or any of that stuff. I think the only time I can sit for more than 10 minutes is the hours I can sit listening to their wisdom.

 

[JOETHECROW]

Charlie looks right at home there, and is probably loving it....What were his thoughts upon seeing your bottles and your dig site? That was really great that you brought him to visit....

 

[glass man]

WOBDERFUL,WONDERFUL STORY...THANK YOU FOR SHARING IT...PERKED ME UP A BIT!JAMIE

 

[cobaltbot]

Thanks for your kind replies gentlemen and Lady Laur. What joy this friendship has brought to my heart. Laur, Charlie told me the same thing so you are in good company and he lives right beside Old Joppa Rd. It's funny he told my wife he has two kids and they are both senior citizens! He grew up in Appalachia with 12 kids in the family. He moved here in 41, got a job as a crane operator for the government and has been retired for 38 years. He and his family are amused by my bottle digging pursuits and he gave me a genuine essense bottle he had lying around that I will always remember him by. Genuine essense sums up Charlie's life.

 

[mr.fred]

Great Story!----looks like Charlie is in all his Glory sitting there. Thanks for sharing it.

 

[kvs1207]

There is no doubt you found the most valuable treasure of all.

 

[logueb]

Great story. Can you imagine all the changes that have occured in Charlie's lifetime. So many things that we take for granted each day were never available to Charlie's folks. My grandmother lived to be a 100. I enjoyed so much talking to her and visited her as often as I could. Thanks for sharing. Buster.