For Tom
By Ronn Marshal

I came into my office one day

To see this tall, dark handsome man

He says “That I intend to stay”

And “be the best that I can”

I wondered just what skills he had

To allow him to succeed

Just what did he posses

I scratched my head indeed

He didn’t seem to know the way

Of men that had come before

His polish was not put on bright

I knew he needed more

I stopped myself from wondering

Because I felt at peace with him

The warmth and strength in his eyes

Grabbed my heart deep within

I watched him stumble, then get back up

And brush himself off again

I watched him work so hard

To gain the trust of his fellow men

I got after him, seems like every day

As though he was my son

And watched him do things his own way

Until the job was done

He was always there, with a helping hand

Ready to do the task

With his eyes so bright and smile so wide

He’d do anything you asked

Each day I knew he would arrive

And open up our place

He would greet each one, as they came by

With his trusted smiling face

I watched him grow and seen his mark

On everyone he met

I watched him mold himself, into this man

That all that knew him, did respect

I’d watch him with his clients

And the confidence that they could see

Knowing he was there for them

To protect their every need

I watched him pull us all

Into the family that we had

He held us all together

Sometimes trying to be the dad

My friends and family, they did adore

The man they began to know

And as a friend, they trusted

As he treated them, as his own

He called me Ronnald, and that was unique

From most everyone I knew

His voice was soft and oh so sweet

I knew his heart was true

His family did come first to him

For them, he lived his life

Brooke and T J, he did love

And Marsha his special wife

T J found Danielle

And they gave him first grandson

Carter is his name

Tommy knew he was the one

Each week he would get into his car

And head north to the border town

Looking for his pot of gold

He knew that he had found

He would grow his thick black beard each fall

And to the mountains he would find

Hunting and fishing and camping

Was the best therapy of its kind

He loved to be out golfing

On a bright, bright sunny day

To hang with friends and share his thoughts

He cherished all they had to say

I would watch him drive in his car

With those blue sunglasses on his face

Looking at the world afar

Boy, how he loved this place

He had a sweet tooth, you could say

His desk was always stocked

With all those yummy treats

That we will miss a lot

He’s left me with a challenge

To be much more like him

To give myself unconditionally

To my friends, and to my fellow man

He gave us all he had inside

He always offered more

He opened up his heart to us

And caused us to adore

It’s not often, in this world we live

To meet someone so true

And feel the love he gave us all

And feel it thru and thru

I know my life is better

Because, I had this special friend

The way he cared for all of us

And the fences he did mend

To the man, I call my brother

To the boy, I call my friend

To the professional, I call my partner

To Tommy, I’ll love till the end