Stairs

I am 29 visiting
My father at his office
On Randolph AFB, the Air
Training Command building
Where he has been promoted
Out of the way to a measurements
And evaluation office at the top of a
Dark stairs with no handrail that
Disappears into the darkness
Above through a rectangular
Hole in the ceiling with a
Sign his friends have
Added on the wall
That says to new
Lieutenants and
Fresh Captains
Light Colonels
“At the top of
These stairs
Is a big bad
Man.” So
I laugh
As I
Knew
This particular
Menace from my youth
And his bark was worse than
His bite if you could keep
From being buffaloed
By smiling looking
Him in the eye
And ignoring
His John
Wayne
Image
Though he
Did resemble
A cross between
Lincoln and Stonewall
Jackson but I teased
Him when he forgot
His daily cypher on
His wall safe at
Work after 40
Years of no
Mistakes
In the
Civil Service.
My father myself
And his friend Chet
Sat at lunch in the Officers
Club and I noted all the Officers
Under the rank of heavy Colonels
Made a wide circle around our
Table as a safety measure
With these two old gents
Who had made the Air
Force training
Program
Since
WW2.
They never
Shirked a task,
Served in all weathers,
Commendable behavior
Like heroes of the West.
Though, I have never
Mentioned this to
Him the few
Times we
Have talked
Since his death;
And, sometimes I
Glimpse him
In a crowd.