Written for Rueben Rosenberg's 60th birthday party in Statesboro Georgia, which we 
didn't attend. Rueben, a very loving but conservative man, owned a dry goods store 
that looked like it was still the 1930's, wore old style clothes from the store, 
drove an ancient car we called Big Blue, and insisted on taking out and inspecting 
the garbage. The party was given by Sandra, his daughter, who was briefly married 
to Lance, who never walked further than to the car.

Daddy (Rueben) at Sixty

The man whom we honor is Rueben R.
A milestone he has just passed
In far better shape than that of his car
Which no one will ever outlast

When driving Big Blue he's just like a king
His feelings we then dare not jostle
By asking, "When will you junk the old thing?
Its lasted so long it's a fossil."

His heart's strong as iron, but better than gold
He outwalks both Sandra and Lance
There's no way to tell that he's sixty years old
Except by the age of his pants

On the corner of Main his dry goods store
Can outfit a student of farmer
With clothes that date back to the Persian War
And a wide selection of armor

The children he treasures, you know what they're like
Marilyn's as light as a feather
Bernice is so steady that she married Stan
Who can't even predict the weather

Jack went to Denver to flee from his fate
But Ellen soon cornered the fool
Sandra and Lance both have acquired some weight
What's Barry still doing in school?

I could go on teasing but I have been told
To end on a serious note
So something you cherish we'll soon let you hold
But first you must put on a coat

The folks who all love you worked both day and night
To help make this party a smash
No one would deprive you of your basic right
That is, you may take out the trash

P. S. Evan's the first of the new generation
Who all will call you dear Grandpa
Soon we will see in this new generation
How many small Ruebens there are.
February 1978