January is a busy birthday month in my family. Today my grandfather, I call him Papa, is celebrating his young 69th! I just talked to him on the phone. He is with my aunt Stacy, on the square in Lancaster, waiting for my mom and her other sisters to join them for a birthday lunch. I heard him ordering the fish basket. He loves fried fish! He's probably eaten enough to fill three rivers in his life, but would you believe his cholesterol numbers are perfect!?!
My grandfather is one of the kindest, best natured men I have ever known. It takes a lot to get him riled up, but in one personal memory of him I did just that! I used to spend a lot of time with he and my grandmother as a child. One summer he was out in his garden hoeing the tomato row, when my brother and I decided to try to rouse him a bit. To accomplish this, we started to throw pebbles at the air conditioner of his camper, which was parked in the backyard near the garden. He heard what we were doing and yelled for us to stop. We, being the pesky kids we could sometimes be, laughed and continued in a somewhat taunting manner. Once again, he patiently told us to stop, and once again, we kept on going! Finally his breaking point came. He threw his hoe down and took after us like a bat out of hell! I, realizing this wasn't a joke anymore, took off running in the direction of the safest haven I knew, my grandmother. I flew threw the front door of the house and found her in the kitchen cooking over the stove. I wrapped my arms around her screaming, "Papa's gonna whip me!" When he reached us, he was even angrier at the fact that I was using my grandmother as a source of protection. "Buddy, don't you whip him," she said. Well, that's what I heard, but evidently he didn't listen, because all at once he grabbed me up and yanked a knot in my tail as big as those tomatoes he'd been hoeing!
I can't believe I could be such a brat! I feel bad telling this story, because my Papa didn't deserved to be taunted like that at all. I completely asked for that whippin'! I deserved every last swat! I hope he has a wonderful birthday this year. I hope that fish basket at John's Restaurant is the most delicious thing he's ever eaten!
Have a great day ya'll.
Love, Josh
P.S. This is an old photo of my grandfather with one of his coon dogs. I'm not sure about the exact date of this photo, but I would guess the late 50's or early 60's.
3 comments:
That is awesome that your family took him out for one of his favorite meals on his birthday!
As you probably suspected, I think the whippin' story in freaking hilarious. I'm sure you deserved them many other times... triffling little brat. :)
His cholesterol is ... perfect? Well, I'm all admiration! What's his secret?
Neat story. I have you all wrong. You were a devil, right? I guess I think of you as as having been a polite, quiet kid. I've always had this thoery that childen who are hellions turn out best because they get that out of their systems and become good people. I was an angel when a child (seriously), and I think my adult years are the lashing out I never could accomplish as a very scared little boy. I was never beaten in my life, nor struck with any force.
Happy Birthday to your patient grandfather!
Bloggy Friends, I think Josh was a little brat!
I'll bet he got his ass 'whooped' many times! I know I did! I had a sassy mouth apparently. However, my parents deserved every minute of my abuse!
Happy Bday Papi!
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