Passing of the Duty

Sometimes, being a friend involves performing a duty which none of us wants to perform, but are honor-bound to be prepared to do. Tonight, I had the sad but proud honor to fulfill the request of a friend's widow.

In previous installments of this journal, the story of the liberation of Captain Weekes' great wooden coat of arms from the burned-out skeleton of his great hall was told from the point of view of both of the parties involved in the operation. The closely guarded secret location of the relic was known but to them for the better part of 25+ years until revealed to the participants in the Great Reunion of the squadron in September 2010. After the meeting, the relic returned to its secret repository. Until now...

Feeling a bit like the last survivor of a Tontine, it is with sad pride that I become the guardian of the great wooden icon. It will be lovingly, but closely guarded, having started a new chapter of existence as not only a relic of trips long past, but now of friends gone, also.

Requiescat in pace, Sgt Flattop!