In Memoriam

Well, I started this not really knowing what I want to do with this blog. I'll probably talk to empty space here. That's a good thing. But for now, I thought I'd put up something I wrote that I didn't want to lose.

My grandfather died earlier this year at the age of 2 weeks shy of 91. I wasn't able to make it to his memorial, but I drafted my thoughts for my sister to take from to read for all of us and these are my unedited thoughts from then. I love him and I miss him, for who he was - warts, halos, and all. This is my personal recollection of him and who he was to me.

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My grandfather was a man of standards - and I think many don't realize that for him, keeping to those standards was a way of caring - of showing concern for others. For making sure you were doing right by each other.

So I remember him throughout my life - as a child who entertained him by sleeping tucked in a ball with my butt up in the air. He found that endlessly amusing. The standards to be enforced were being dressed with the bed made and down to breakfast by 7:30 or some similarly early hour. And then he would amuse us by playing with his face and wiggling his ears.

As an older child who discovered that the tooth fairy paid better at his house. But that you were expected to help scrape caterpillars off the trees and mow the lawn. And breakfast was still early - with fresh-squeezed orange juice.

As a young teenager who had discovered MTV - available at his house, but not at home. We had an unwritten code of understanding - he let me watch far more than I should have, and when he mentioned that he *knew* my parents didn't let me watch this much, it was time to turn it off. There's a lawn to be mowed and a table to be set - properly of course.

As an older teenager - who miraculously found that the strictest man on the face of the earth both understood me and had quite the sense of humor - bawdy and otherwise. Man I enjoyed those years when I'd call just so we could bust each other's chops. He came with my grandmother and spoke @ my school to my history class during a visit - it was the first time that class didn't run out the door when the bell rang, and I discovered yet another side of him.

And then as a young adult - who failed to cash checks on time and would get phone calls. And we still busted chops and enjoyed each other.

As an older (ish) adult - receiving e-mails - the jokes, the e-greeting cards, and the occasional Washington Post article. And racing desperately to vacuum out the car before picking him up from the airport.

Today - I miss him. I really wish he was here to call me and ask me about my birthday check from 6 weeks ago that I haven't cashed yet.