Last week I was in my truck and was listening to Prairie Home Companion, and there was a women who read, I think it was from her book, about visiting her grandmother as a child. Well of course it got me thinking about my grandmother, from my mothers side of the family. Grandma Griffith, she lived in Mt Holly, a small town in New Jersey and it is also the town where your pal was born. Mt Holly when I was a kid was a vibrant little town with a busy down town, movie and a couple of parks. It was the big city in that area .
My grandmother lived in one half of a small duplex. My family would visit her often, mostly on Sundays for dinner, which at the time, was around 2 pm. My grandmother was also the baby sitter for my younger brother and I when my parents needed a break, so we were there a lot.
My grandmother was a kind person and I cannot remember her ever raising her voice to my brother and I. We both loved going to her house, and one reason was Goldie, her cocker spaniel, who we loved to play with. Another reason we loved to visit grandma, was that we were kind of left on our own. We could travel all over the town all by ourselves, and I was maybe 6 and my brother was 4. Just think about that happening today, it would never.
My grandmothers house was a draw for me as well. She would make her own soap, which would clean any kind of dirt or for that matter freckles, birth marks or what ever, off you body permanently. It was very strong to say the least. And then there was her toilet, an evil object. First of all it was it was in a part of her house that was not heated, so in the winter it was a real eye opener to sit on , for what I use to call the "frozen circle". But that was not the weirdest part of this frozen throne , it was how it flushed. The seat was spring loaded and there was no visible water in the bowel, and after you did your business and stood up, the seat would spring up and it sounded like the space shuttle lifting off on its way to the havens. Let me tell you it was quite a experience.
I also liked the things my grandmother decorated their house with. There was a light that she use to have on top of her television, which was always tuned to wrestling, her favorite. The base was a ceramic black panther long and sleek and the lamp shade was made from what looked like venetian blinds in a pyramid shape. I thought it was so cool looking and would love to have one today. Another one of my favorites at her house was her mohair couch which I would l rub my hand over for what seemed hours. I just loved the feel of that and I bet I wore a clear spot on her couch .
I also blame my grandmother for a very bad eating habit that I have had all of my life. Like I said my family use to visit on what seemed like every Sunday, and my grandmother would cook dinner, she was a very good cook. And she would go on and on about what a good appetite that I had, as I have never met any kind of food that I did not like. Well any way I would force my self to finish every left over on the table to the point of exploding, just for her praise. All through my life, it seemed that I would not be satisfied at the dinner table if I was not stuffed to the gills. Thank you grandma.
I loved my grandmother and I will always remember her warmth and her love and the times we spent together but most of all ,that toilet, till the day I die.
My grandmother lived in one half of a small duplex. My family would visit her often, mostly on Sundays for dinner, which at the time, was around 2 pm. My grandmother was also the baby sitter for my younger brother and I when my parents needed a break, so we were there a lot.
My grandmother was a kind person and I cannot remember her ever raising her voice to my brother and I. We both loved going to her house, and one reason was Goldie, her cocker spaniel, who we loved to play with. Another reason we loved to visit grandma, was that we were kind of left on our own. We could travel all over the town all by ourselves, and I was maybe 6 and my brother was 4. Just think about that happening today, it would never.
My grandmothers house was a draw for me as well. She would make her own soap, which would clean any kind of dirt or for that matter freckles, birth marks or what ever, off you body permanently. It was very strong to say the least. And then there was her toilet, an evil object. First of all it was it was in a part of her house that was not heated, so in the winter it was a real eye opener to sit on , for what I use to call the "frozen circle". But that was not the weirdest part of this frozen throne , it was how it flushed. The seat was spring loaded and there was no visible water in the bowel, and after you did your business and stood up, the seat would spring up and it sounded like the space shuttle lifting off on its way to the havens. Let me tell you it was quite a experience.
I also liked the things my grandmother decorated their house with. There was a light that she use to have on top of her television, which was always tuned to wrestling, her favorite. The base was a ceramic black panther long and sleek and the lamp shade was made from what looked like venetian blinds in a pyramid shape. I thought it was so cool looking and would love to have one today. Another one of my favorites at her house was her mohair couch which I would l rub my hand over for what seemed hours. I just loved the feel of that and I bet I wore a clear spot on her couch .
I also blame my grandmother for a very bad eating habit that I have had all of my life. Like I said my family use to visit on what seemed like every Sunday, and my grandmother would cook dinner, she was a very good cook. And she would go on and on about what a good appetite that I had, as I have never met any kind of food that I did not like. Well any way I would force my self to finish every left over on the table to the point of exploding, just for her praise. All through my life, it seemed that I would not be satisfied at the dinner table if I was not stuffed to the gills. Thank you grandma.
I loved my grandmother and I will always remember her warmth and her love and the times we spent together but most of all ,that toilet, till the day I die.
4 comments:
Great piece, Willie. My grandmother played a big role in my childhood too, and sometimes it's good to reflect on those relationships as an adult.
Thanks for helping me remember that.
What a nice story. Grandparents are great! I, too, thank you for the reflection. I just wish I had been able to learn more from them. They were loaded with wisdom.
She was a real influence in my life.
Mohair couch. Reminds me of a certain gal I once knew (certainly not your grandmother Willie--no worries!).
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