Granddad
We were all in the back room playing cards. The birds were screaming and going crazy for no apparent reason. Then we heard the front door open and someone walking across the house. He said, “Have you heard about it?” “Kind of,” I said, as he walked into the room. “Well he’s dead; you know that?”, “No,” I said, straining to get the word out.
The room was silent; and everyone turned and looked at him. Finally someone spoke, “How did it happen?” He said,
I saw some people at Industrial; someone told me they saw an ambulance coming from my grandparent’s house. So I got a ride to their house. The whole way there I just kept saying to myself, “God don’t let anything happen to them.” When we finally got there I went inside, and the house was empty. I walked into their bedroom, and there was blood on my grandmother’s side of the bed. We immediately left for the hospital, the whole time I was thinking, “It’s my grandmother.” When I walked in to the hospital and saw her, I was so relieved. You know, the whole time, I never considered that it might be my granddad who was hurt. I didn’t know what to think when she told me he was dead.
No one said anything for a long time after that; we were all in shock. Then someone said, “Well the birds have finally calmed down.” A second later the wind started blowing and someone else said, “The breeze feels good.” It was just small talk, but what else is there to say? Finally, I asked,
How did it happen?
It was a heart attack.
Is this the first time he has ever had heart trouble?
No, he has had a couple before.
We just sat there in silence, processing what was said. A few minutes later he said,
He died at his house, but the paramedics were able to revive him. Granddad knew one of the paramedics, and just before he passed, he said, “Paul, this is it, I think it’s my time to go.”
After a while he said, “The viewing is tonight at 6pm and the service is tomorrow at 2pm. Well, I’m gonna go; I’ll see you later”
“Bye, Gabe.” I said, but my voice was so weak I could barely get it out. When he left, I just laid my head down and started to cry.
4 responses to “Granddad”
David says: Smile. One from me. Nod. Long blink.
gabe says: Wow, this gave me chills reading this.
Tonight, Jana was on the internet while I was lying on the floor playing with Maggie. Out of the blue she asked me what your web address was, so I proceeded to give it to her. As she was looking through your pictures, I heard her laughing and asking me who this person was. Being lazy I did not want to get up to see, but I managed to drag myself over to take a look. It was a picture of David, and since I was now up I wanted to look at the other pictures. Together we looked through the pictures while laughing hysterically at the female doll in various photographs.
While Jana continued to look through your site, I began to play with Maggie again. She then asked me if something had happened to your Granddad. I walked over to see what she was talking about, and then proceeded to read the above post. The first thing that went through my mind as I read the first sentence was this is what happened to me. As I read through the post, I began to get chill bumps. I was amazed at how precise you were in remembering all those details. I had forgotten, but as I continued to read the post I could hear the birds screaming, taste the smell in the air, and recall the sudden and eerie quietness that spread over the room.
Thank you for remembering.
Gabe
gabe says: I loved and respected my granddad so much. I often wish he was still here so I could get his opinion on things that I am doing. However, when he was alive he taught me two things I will never forget.
The first is to always have perceptive vision. When he explained this to me, it was during the summer of 1991. My granddad had employed Jamie, John and I to be his full time landscape crew on his property. We had just finished installing a small landscape in his front yard. I thought it was beautiful, and I could not wait until he saw it. When he arrived, you could see the proud look on his face. In and area that only encompassed 400 square feet, we had placed a large statue of a women holding a jar as our focal point. The water would flow out of the jar and fall into the base of the statue. We surrounded our focal point with pink hydrangeas, monkey grass and lirope.
As my granddad and I looked our masterpiece, he told me to always notice the things around me. What he meant was that we did not do a good job in picking up the used mini pine bark bags that we had place to the left and right of our job site. Although he was talking about cleaning up a job site to add the finishing touches on a job well done, I now use this perceptive vision concept on everything in life. When I only look at the object or task in front of me with blinders on, I always miss something. What I miss usually comes back to haunt me.
The second thing that has stuck with me is to acknowledge, praise, and seek good employees or co-workers. Once again while we were on a job site, my granddad stopped by to check in on the progress. As we stood there talking he asked me to observe, Jamie and John’s work habits. He proceeded to tell me that when I work with anyone, whether it is hiring your own employees or working as a team with others, to always seek and work with the best. He said “Look at Jamie, he constantly works at a faster pace, and uses his mind to work smarter. You see, when Jamie goes to the truck to pick up the plants he always brings back more than John. Jamie’s plants will be in the ground before John, and Jamie will make more money for you.” I have continued to use this strategy in my life. At work I always partner with the best, and I always make more money when I work with guys like Jamie.
John, if you read this I apologize for just now pointing this out.
Jamie
The female doll is Polly Pocket, my niece’s favorite toy. We believe this is the first possesion she ever (willingly) gave away. It happens to be the Polly Pocket camping eddition and since I was going hiking …
I’m glad you liked the story, I honestly wasn’t sure how you’d feel when you read it.
Smile. One from me. Nod. Long blink.
Wow, this gave me chills reading this.
Tonight, Jana was on the internet while I was lying on the floor playing with Maggie. Out of the blue she asked me what your web address was, so I proceeded to give it to her. As she was looking through your pictures, I heard her laughing and asking me who this person was. Being lazy I did not want to get up to see, but I managed to drag myself over to take a look. It was a picture of David, and since I was now up I wanted to look at the other pictures. Together we looked through the pictures while laughing hysterically at the female doll in various photographs.
While Jana continued to look through your site, I began to play with Maggie again. She then asked me if something had happened to your Granddad. I walked over to see what she was talking about, and then proceeded to read the above post. The first thing that went through my mind as I read the first sentence was this is what happened to me. As I read through the post, I began to get chill bumps. I was amazed at how precise you were in remembering all those details. I had forgotten, but as I continued to read the post I could hear the birds screaming, taste the smell in the air, and recall the sudden and eerie quietness that spread over the room.
Thank you for remembering.
Gabe
I loved and respected my granddad so much. I often wish he was still here so I could get his opinion on things that I am doing. However, when he was alive he taught me two things I will never forget.
The first is to always have perceptive vision. When he explained this to me, it was during the summer of 1991. My granddad had employed Jamie, John and I to be his full time landscape crew on his property. We had just finished installing a small landscape in his front yard. I thought it was beautiful, and I could not wait until he saw it. When he arrived, you could see the proud look on his face. In and area that only encompassed 400 square feet, we had placed a large statue of a women holding a jar as our focal point. The water would flow out of the jar and fall into the base of the statue. We surrounded our focal point with pink hydrangeas, monkey grass and lirope.
As my granddad and I looked our masterpiece, he told me to always notice the things around me. What he meant was that we did not do a good job in picking up the used mini pine bark bags that we had place to the left and right of our job site. Although he was talking about cleaning up a job site to add the finishing touches on a job well done, I now use this perceptive vision concept on everything in life. When I only look at the object or task in front of me with blinders on, I always miss something. What I miss usually comes back to haunt me.
The second thing that has stuck with me is to acknowledge, praise, and seek good employees or co-workers. Once again while we were on a job site, my granddad stopped by to check in on the progress. As we stood there talking he asked me to observe, Jamie and John’s work habits. He proceeded to tell me that when I work with anyone, whether it is hiring your own employees or working as a team with others, to always seek and work with the best. He said “Look at Jamie, he constantly works at a faster pace, and uses his mind to work smarter. You see, when Jamie goes to the truck to pick up the plants he always brings back more than John. Jamie’s plants will be in the ground before John, and Jamie will make more money for you.” I have continued to use this strategy in my life. At work I always partner with the best, and I always make more money when I work with guys like Jamie.
John, if you read this I apologize for just now pointing this out.
Jamie
The female doll is Polly Pocket, my niece’s favorite toy. We believe this is the first possesion she ever (willingly) gave away. It happens to be the Polly Pocket camping eddition and since I was going hiking …
I’m glad you liked the story, I honestly wasn’t sure how you’d feel when you read it.