We had a relaxing breakfast with Popdaddy and Shawn--which was a treat as he has such a busy schedule that meals with him are a rarity. Popdaddy had a remembrance of when my grandfather lived with them for a bit. My grandfather was a dear man and I loved him but he was a bit of a curmugeon. I think I loved him because he didn't fuss over me but we could just "be", not chattering or interacting a lot just be in the same room quiet and about our own business. My grandmother was a sweety-but she fussed, kissing all over my face and then fussing that I didn't eat enough to keep a bird alive. My grandfather didn't say much but I can remember him doing little things for me. Like the day he walked to the corner store, Hazelback's and brought me back a pack of Dentyne. He just walked up to me while I was playing on the floor and said, "Girl, you like gum?" I said yes and he just handed it to me. I actually hated Dentyne but I knew it was something special he had done for me so I thanked him and didn't chew it.
I gave that background so you would understand my Dad's story. My Dad had his favorite chair where he sat and read the paper every evening. However, when my grandfather moved in, he took over and that became his chair. Dad said he (Granddad) also claimed first right to the paper, which had always been my Dad's routine. Dad said he would have to sneak out the back door and walk around to the front to get the paper and then find a hiding place to read it if he wanted it first. But the funny story Dad told this morning was about one time our neighbor, Mrs. Brouse was visiting. My granddad was in the bathroom when she arrived and she inadvertently sat in "his" chair. When he came out of the bathroom, he hobbled with his cane over to the chair where she was sitting and just stood there. She looked up and said, "Oh Mr. Whitten, am I sitting in your chair?" He gruffly replied, "You are." And she had to get up and move so that he could sit down.
What special times we miss when we think elderly people are a bother and of no further use. They add so much to our lives, even if it is just to slow our busy lives down to listen. It is a blessing.
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Bill reminded me of a story Popdaddy told at breakfast this morning that neither of us had heard before. He said that one day he was sitting in his chair reading his paper and Mother kept asking him, didn't he want something to eat? My mother lived to feed people. He finally said to her, "I just want to sit here and relax and read my paper and be left alone." He said she never nagged him about eating again. He commented that, "She only wanted to take care of me and I brushed her off." Made me think of what an impact my words can make and how one day I will be sitting and remembering and regretting things I said and how unimportant some things will seem that I now think are important.
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