Returning home
I got back into town yesterday from Maine. It all happened so fast. Grampie passed away around 1am Tues (the 27th) morning. I flew out Wednesday. The wake was on Thursday and funeral was Friday.
There was drama, of course, since our family was there, but I'd rather not get into it. I spent most of the trip apologizing over and over to Grampie, rather than saying goodbye like I should have. I'd rather remember him and all of our happy memories.
I saw lots of family that I haven't seen in years. One of my mom's aunts since I was 8 and other cousins I last saw when I was 18. I also found out that Lil, Grampie's 2nd wife, had also passed away a few years ago. They were only married 5 years, but I really liked her. We once played a 4 hour game of Uno, that I ended up winning in the end. She even gave me a stuffed elephant when we first met. I was the flower girl in their wedding. It was kind of a shock to hear that she passed awhile ago.
When I was little, I had a unique name for my Grandfather - "Pup-up". My mom said I made it up when I was learning to talk. I would sit there and listen to them talk. She'd call him "Pa" and I tried to copy her. "Pa-pa" I would say and from there, it evolved into "Pup-up". I decided at 8 years old that it was a baby-ish name and switched to Grampie then.
One visit when I was very little, he brought a stuffed bear with him to give to me. It was the same size as me at the time (maybe I was 2 or 3?). I tried to carry it around the airport but it was just too big. When we got on the train, I just couldn't hold onto him anymore, so I sat down in one of the seats and sat the bear next too me. It must have been quite a sight to see. The bear in his seat and me in mine, both the same size. People kept looking and laughing.
A few years ago when he lived with my Aunt Sue, I sent him a Christmas gift. He loved birds, so I sent him some suet, a cage to hold it in and a small bird magazine/book. I never really thought of it as much and still to this day, wished I had given him more. But my Aunt Sue told me later that he was so excited to receive a present (and consequently the only one he was sent that year) that he opened it right away, before Christmas. He was too excited to wait. He then told my Aunt Sue that he needed Christmas cards, so she went with him to the store. He picks out one and says he's ready to go. She asks if he wants more, and he says no. It was the only one he sent that year and it was to me.
I still have that card. It brings such a smile to my face whenever I see it. I never did tell him how much it meant to me.
He had one of the best laughs I have ever heard. I forget what he was laughing about, but it would always start off small - a giggle. Then it would snowball until it was a full-on belly laugh. He'd laugh so hard that he would cry and if he would try to talk, you couldn't understand him. And if you happened to be out of the room and walk in as he was laughing, it was so contagious that you couldn't help but laugh too, even though you had no idea what was so funny.
He would feel guilty about owning things, he always thought someone else needed it more. He'd literally give you the shirt off his back if he thought you needed it. And he wouldn't even judge you if he knew you already owned 100 shirts. He'd give you the shirt and say no more. He lived for making others happy. That's when he was happiest.
He had a way of making you think that you were his favorite. And it was evident when I saw all my relatives and heard their memories. He loved everyone and they all loved him. And in the end, he didn't have much, but it was rich with loved ones. If I had a quarter of the amount of people who loved and cared for me as he did, then I would still be a very lucky person.
But he has returned home. And he had his parents and one brother greet him. Jeanette, his 3rd wife, is there too. And I'm sure he reconciled with Lil too, and they are probably fighting over him, since he is the ladies' man that he is. He even knew Lucky and they became buddies at one point. I'm sure she greeted him as well. As sociable as he is, I'm sure he's already made new friends to play cards with and perhaps even joined a club of fellow Red Sox fans.
I'm going to miss him. We had some good times. And as my mom says, he'll be there to greet us when we, too, return home.
Bye, Pup-up. I love you and I'm glad you don't hurt anymore.
There was drama, of course, since our family was there, but I'd rather not get into it. I spent most of the trip apologizing over and over to Grampie, rather than saying goodbye like I should have. I'd rather remember him and all of our happy memories.
I saw lots of family that I haven't seen in years. One of my mom's aunts since I was 8 and other cousins I last saw when I was 18. I also found out that Lil, Grampie's 2nd wife, had also passed away a few years ago. They were only married 5 years, but I really liked her. We once played a 4 hour game of Uno, that I ended up winning in the end. She even gave me a stuffed elephant when we first met. I was the flower girl in their wedding. It was kind of a shock to hear that she passed awhile ago.
When I was little, I had a unique name for my Grandfather - "Pup-up". My mom said I made it up when I was learning to talk. I would sit there and listen to them talk. She'd call him "Pa" and I tried to copy her. "Pa-pa" I would say and from there, it evolved into "Pup-up". I decided at 8 years old that it was a baby-ish name and switched to Grampie then.
One visit when I was very little, he brought a stuffed bear with him to give to me. It was the same size as me at the time (maybe I was 2 or 3?). I tried to carry it around the airport but it was just too big. When we got on the train, I just couldn't hold onto him anymore, so I sat down in one of the seats and sat the bear next too me. It must have been quite a sight to see. The bear in his seat and me in mine, both the same size. People kept looking and laughing.
A few years ago when he lived with my Aunt Sue, I sent him a Christmas gift. He loved birds, so I sent him some suet, a cage to hold it in and a small bird magazine/book. I never really thought of it as much and still to this day, wished I had given him more. But my Aunt Sue told me later that he was so excited to receive a present (and consequently the only one he was sent that year) that he opened it right away, before Christmas. He was too excited to wait. He then told my Aunt Sue that he needed Christmas cards, so she went with him to the store. He picks out one and says he's ready to go. She asks if he wants more, and he says no. It was the only one he sent that year and it was to me.
I still have that card. It brings such a smile to my face whenever I see it. I never did tell him how much it meant to me.
He had one of the best laughs I have ever heard. I forget what he was laughing about, but it would always start off small - a giggle. Then it would snowball until it was a full-on belly laugh. He'd laugh so hard that he would cry and if he would try to talk, you couldn't understand him. And if you happened to be out of the room and walk in as he was laughing, it was so contagious that you couldn't help but laugh too, even though you had no idea what was so funny.
He would feel guilty about owning things, he always thought someone else needed it more. He'd literally give you the shirt off his back if he thought you needed it. And he wouldn't even judge you if he knew you already owned 100 shirts. He'd give you the shirt and say no more. He lived for making others happy. That's when he was happiest.
He had a way of making you think that you were his favorite. And it was evident when I saw all my relatives and heard their memories. He loved everyone and they all loved him. And in the end, he didn't have much, but it was rich with loved ones. If I had a quarter of the amount of people who loved and cared for me as he did, then I would still be a very lucky person.
But he has returned home. And he had his parents and one brother greet him. Jeanette, his 3rd wife, is there too. And I'm sure he reconciled with Lil too, and they are probably fighting over him, since he is the ladies' man that he is. He even knew Lucky and they became buddies at one point. I'm sure she greeted him as well. As sociable as he is, I'm sure he's already made new friends to play cards with and perhaps even joined a club of fellow Red Sox fans.
I'm going to miss him. We had some good times. And as my mom says, he'll be there to greet us when we, too, return home.
Bye, Pup-up. I love you and I'm glad you don't hurt anymore.