My grandmother passed away this morning. She and my grandfather (Pap-pap, as we called him) were awesome people, and I just wanted to take a few moments to thank them for all the memories.
Grandma was a strong woman who told it like it was; she never pulled any punches. She was funny, kind, caring, somewhat irreverent, and a bit sarcastic. She was awesome.
Pap-pap was always on the go. He was in better shape at 80 than I was at 30. He was funny, mischievous, and always joking around. He kept us on our toes!
I remember growing up and faking a number of illnesses so that I could a) get out of going to school, and b) get to go to my grandparent's for the day. Every time I went there I was treated to the best southern iced tea money could buy (homemade, of course), grilled cheese sandwiches that were simply amazing, and a guaranteed trip to the toy store. Looking back, I know that she and Pap-pap knew that I was faking being sick most of the time, but they didn't say anything. I know they knew when I was really fine, though, because I'd end up doing yard work with pap-pap. This mostly consisted of Pap-pap chasing me around the yard with hedge clippers saying that I looked to need a shave. :)
I also remember how grandma and pap-pap's house was the hub for me and all my friends as I got in my teen years. We would ride our BMX bikes all over the place, but I would always call Grandma and ask if it was okay to stop in for lunch. My friends would ask me constantly, "Are we going to Grandma and Pap-pap's?" They called them that too, which my grandparents seemed to quite enjoy.
Pap-pap would take to looking over the bikes to see if they needed a tune up or not. He did this, of course, with his hedge clippers. At first the fellas would be looking to me with a "what the heck is he doing???" stare of horror, but soon they understood he was just joking around, especially when he would say things like, "Looks like these tires need work. I'll go get my hammer." Grandma would call him an "old fool" (to which he would giggle, as it seemed that if he could get a rise out of her it made his day) and wave all of us in for a round of grilled cheese sandwiches and iced tea. Ah, those were the days.
A lot of people tell me that I should have been a comedian or an actor. I think I get a lot of that from my grandparents. Their interactions were hilarious at times. Grandma would play the role of Dean Martin while Pap-pap played the role of Jerry Lewis. Occasionally, they'd even go as far as Laurel and Hardy. While I have no designs on being a comedian or an actor, I hope my writing reflects the comedic view my grandparents ingrained in me. Most assuredly they will both find themselves as lovable characters in my world as I can think of no better dedication to two people who so highly impacted my life.
Grandma and Pap-pap, thanks for being lighthearted, fun-loving, caring, entertaining, and the best grandparents a kid could ask for. I love you both!
