Yellowstone when I was 3 years old. |
It's weird how reading certain things will bring back a long buried memory. Today I was reading on a blog about a little girl who collected rocks and suddenly as clear as could be I could picture my Grandpa LaMar's hand rubbing his worry rock. He had small smooth rock that he would rub. He told me it was his worry rock. I can't remember why but I assume that he rubbed it when he was worrying about something.
That memory led to a flood of others as I remember him rocking me in the rocking chair in our front room. I remember going to visit him at the liquor store where he was the manager and going up to his office. It was on a raised area in the middle of the store so he could keep an eye on what was going on down in the store below; then riding with him to drop off the deposit in the night drop at the bank.
I can clearly see him in my mind sitting in the recliner at his and Grandma's house. It was the last place I saw him before he died. A little while before he passed away Mom had to come get me from school because I was sick. Grandpa had come over to watch the kids so she could come and get me. I remember him pulling me onto his lap and rocking me in the rocking chair. He told me the best place to be when you are sick is at home.
He had a dry sense of humor. A few days before he died we were watching TV. A commercial come on and it announced, “The news has come out! There is a new bra!” Never taking his eyes from the TV and sounding completely serious Grandpa said, “That’s the greatest news I’ve heard in 60 years.” We laughed so hard.
I was only 10 when he died. It was way too soon to lose him. I don't think I realized it until today, but my Mom was only 31 when she lost him. I am 37 and I can't even imagine how hard it would be to lose one of my parents.
That memory led to a flood of others as I remember him rocking me in the rocking chair in our front room. I remember going to visit him at the liquor store where he was the manager and going up to his office. It was on a raised area in the middle of the store so he could keep an eye on what was going on down in the store below; then riding with him to drop off the deposit in the night drop at the bank.
I can clearly see him in my mind sitting in the recliner at his and Grandma's house. It was the last place I saw him before he died. A little while before he passed away Mom had to come get me from school because I was sick. Grandpa had come over to watch the kids so she could come and get me. I remember him pulling me onto his lap and rocking me in the rocking chair. He told me the best place to be when you are sick is at home.
He had a dry sense of humor. A few days before he died we were watching TV. A commercial come on and it announced, “The news has come out! There is a new bra!” Never taking his eyes from the TV and sounding completely serious Grandpa said, “That’s the greatest news I’ve heard in 60 years.” We laughed so hard.
I was only 10 when he died. It was way too soon to lose him. I don't think I realized it until today, but my Mom was only 31 when she lost him. I am 37 and I can't even imagine how hard it would be to lose one of my parents.