Phone calls can be so impersonal...

Thursday, April 21, 2011

This is in response to Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop prompt this week -

Mama’s Losin’ It

3) Describe a phone call you will never forget.

June 1988

My mom was at a meeting, my dad was probably at work, my brother and I were home and the phone rang.  I picked it up.

My Aunt:  Lisa, is your mom at home?
Me: No, she's not.
My Aunt: Well, Grandpa died...

I didn't hear anything else.  I just knew my brother finally took the phone from my hand. 
This was my Grandpa - My Aunt's and Mommy's Daddy - One of my four favorite guys in the entire UNIVERSE and she was telling me he was...

gone.

Just like that?

He survived lung cancer, prostate cancer, so much...and he had been HEALTHY lately. 

What happend?

It turned out he had a massive stroke in the house right after lunch I think...and shortly after he bought my 21st Birthday Card.

Grandpa always picked out the nicest things for the grandkids.

Easter Dresses
Christmas Dresses
Ties for my brother
Cards

Whatever it was he got it right.

He taught us the difference between a weed and a plant.  How to dead-head the lilies and the iris in the yard.  To appreciate flowers and plants.

He had games that we only played with him.  You could never beat him at Slap or Thumb War.

He was so strong.

And now...he was gone.

I still miss him terribly.


My Grandpa and I - always in the yard!

18 comments:

Kimberly said...

Sometimes people don't think when they're grief stricken. I certainly hope that's what the deal was with your aunt.

I had a grandparent like that. Miss her every single day.

Unknown said...

Oh Lisa this is wonderful, poignant, and sad.

He sounds like a wonderful man.

Thanks for stopping by my blog too.

Alison said...

Your grandfather sounded wonderful. Thanks for sharing.

Michelle said...

I don't know if it's the pregnancy hormones or what, but OMG I totally cried reading this. What a touching story. And I'm sorry (even all these years later) about you losing your grandpa.

Jessica said...

Losing a grandparent is hard, especially when you are close with them. Sorry for your loss.

Mrs. S. said...

He sounds like a wonderful person, I can sense you are profoundly grateful to have known him.

Jenna said...

your emotion was so strong here, what a beautiful tribute to his memory.

MommyLisa said...

It rained RIGHT as his funeral was about to start. My grandmother told the minister, "Wilbur Studer ordered this rain you know." He just smiled and told her it was nice she could believe that...but we all knew it was true. His garden needed watering after all!

Jennifer said...

Oh, Lisa, what a sad post! But I love your comment about your granddad's funeral--too cute! :) I'm glad you have such beautiful memories with your grandfather.

Cathy said...

What a terrible phone call to get or make. Such wonderful memories of your grandfather, though!

Ma What's 4 dinner said...

Oh so sad. Hate those phone calls. He sounds like he was a really really special grandpa!

Lots of yummy love,
Alex aka Ma What's For Dinner
www.mawhatsfordinner.com

Crazy Me said...

Sounds like the best kind of grandpa! It's so hard to lose such a great person like that.

Matty said...

Lisa, I'm sorry for the loss of your grandfather. But what a heartwarming and excellent tribute to a man who meant so much to you. Even though he is gone, I hope that the wonderful memories he created for you always bring a smile to your face.

kisatrtle said...

a wonderful tribute

Cyndy Bush said...

This is so sad, it makes me dread the way when my kids lose their first grandparent. All of my grandparents are gone, and I still miss them.
I came over from Mama Kat's!

Raising Z and Lil C said...

What a horrible and impersonal way to learn that someone so important to you was gone. This post has me all choked up. My grandfather was my hero as well and we learned about his passing (my mom included) over an answering machine message. There were four messages, the first was that he had had a heart attack (he had a physical the day and the doc said he was great!), the second said that my dad's best friend went to the hospital with my grandmother, the third message was my sisters boyfriend with some unrelated nonsense and the fourth was a message letting us know that my Pops didn't make it :( We had all just come back from a wonderful family dinner and came home to this...so sad and impersonal.

Feel for you!!!

Shell said...

What a tough phone call.

He sounds like he was an amazing man.

Good Company said...

I think people are in shock when they are relaying news like that -- it hasn't sunk in yet. Memories are a beautiful gift!

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