Bob

Ronnie started stealing his father's Marlboros when he was about 10. By 14 he could buy his own Marlboros and would often sit with his dad on the front porch smoking together, while his dad tried to advise Ronnie about life and growing up. Those times were Ronnie's fondest memories. Ronnie's dad died when Ronnie was 15. But the union benefits kept Ronnie and his mother comfortable for the next three years until Ronnie was old enough to be hired at his dad's old factory. Ronnie felt like he was stepping into his father's shoes, taking care of his mother, and every time he lit up a Marlboro he thought about his father. Time passed and his mother died. Along came another role model, "The Marlboro Man". Ronnie grew a mustache and started wearing denim and even on special occasions cowboy boots. He even bought a lasso just to hang up on the living-room wall. His guilty pleasure was to close the window blinds and parade around his house wearing the "Marlboro Man" cowboy hat that he swore to himself he would one day find the occasion and courage to wear outside. That day finally arrived on the 25th anniversary of his employment at the factory. He was honored at a special luncheon and he wore both his boots and hat. At the luncheon he was presented with a Marlboro quart size thermos bottle that his buddies at the factory had chipped in to buy for him. Ronnie was so pleased with it that he kept it in a place of honor right under the lasso in his living -room. Ronnie died not too long after that. He had no family to make arraignments so it fell upon one of his co-workers from the factory, Bob. After Ronnie had been cremated the funeral director called up Bob to say that Bob should bring a container to receive Ronnie's ashes. "What size container?" asked Bob. "Oh, something about quart size" said the director.