End of an era

Dear John,

The watch show started today.  I sold A LOT of your watches - well, to be fair, your friend sold a lot of your watches.  Many of them went to that Tom guy that you refused to deal with any more.  He bought 117.  I feel like it was not up to your standards, but to some extent, I don't care.  I really just want the stuff gone.  But it was reasonable, so I went with it. There was a young guy from Texas who bought a lot of stuff.  It was nice to see some new blood.  A lot of old guys bought some stuff here and there.  Some dude from Indiana, I think, bought quite a bit - almost all of your smaller size watches.  A guy named Skip, who looks kind of familiar, bought lots of wristwatch parts.  I think I've seen him at auctions or at the flea market.  I don't know if any of the jokers from the flea market will show up on Saturday.  We'll see, I guess.

I spent a bit of time talking suicide with a guy named Dave.  He bought your buffer, one of your cleaners, and a bunch of watches.  He is retired Air Force.  I guess he asked how you died, and I was honest.  I know you would hate that I'm sharing your business, but I'm not ashamed of you or of your choices.  I'm sad that I couldn't change your mind about anything - our need for you, your reactions to things, seeking help, etc.  But you made your choice and if it helps other people to choose differently if I talk about it, then I will talk about it.  He was saying that the neurologist called in a counselor, who asked him about suicidal thoughts, and he admitted to having them.  Then they asked if he had guns.  But he's a gun collector, so he wouldn't do that to his collection.  They even called his wife, who told them they were off base.  He said that if he got to that point, he'd just take all the medication they gave him.  I told him that he was needed, and that he shouldn't give in to the thoughts.  He took home some projects and wants your friend to show him how to do some minor repairs.  I hope that he enjoys working with the watches, and that some of your love for them and ability to keep them running bleeds through to him.  

I think we're pretty close in price to what you told me everything was worth.  Or maybe I'm way off your estimate.  Regardless, I held a lot of what you had deemed "the good stuff" back for S to decide what to do with later.  Maybe she'll have kids and pass them on.  Maybe she'll just adopt dogs.  I don't know.  But your friend said that I should be going home with an empty car tomorrow, so that will be a large weight off my mind.  On to the fucking baseball cards...

I signed up for a metalsmithing class at the university.  I think it will be fun to learn how to make jewelry.  Then I might melt down some of that silver that's all over the house and make things from it.  We shall see.  

Well, I have to go to bed so I can get up early and make the 2 hour drive again tomorrow.  My BIL came down to help - I got him a hotel room, but I didn't want to leave S on her own.  I was going to make her come with me tomorrow, but there's really nothing for her to do.  So she's free, except for household chores.  And going to the library.  My BIL was amazed at the atmosphere of the watch guys.  He's never seen anything like it.  My sister is working from Hawai'i for a month (sucks to be her, I guess 😕) so he has free time anyway, and he misses doing the shows that he did for 20 years as a photographer.    I'm exhausted...

Love,

A