It is super brittle and you have to be careful handling it. If I broke it up like regular every day bud it would crumble to powder. It was stored in a cool, dry, completely dark environment and remained totally undisturbed over the years. Otherwise, it probably wouldn't have survived. I'm really thankful for this experience. I was really hit hard when he died last year, because he was the relative I was the closest with. When I was a kid, he lived in the garage apartment behind my grandparents home so I spent a lot of time with him there.

He used to keep me sometimes when my parents wanted to go out at night, and he'd let me watch horror movies on his betamax till after midnight even when I was very young and play his Attari system. I can also remember the scent of marijuana and incense lingering in his apartment. Of course I didn't know what pot was then. I just thought he smoked funny smelling cigarettes. To this day, that aroma has a comforting effect on me. Probably because that scent accompanies all my happiest childhood memories.

He was always kind to me, and never seemed to mind having this chubby little girl (I looked a lot like a cabbage patch doll in those days.)tagging after him. Then again I was a very quiet unobtrusive child, so that might have made a difference. I can remember laying on a hideous day glow orange shag rug in front of his big console tv in his living room, drawing with crayons, while he and his friends sat around smoking, talking about art, music, or politics. I really miss him, and those days when happiness came so easily. Yes, I am very grateful to have found that trunk.