The Quest for a Grandpa
Through my early years, I always wanted a Grandpa. Up until the age of 5 my family and I lived in Colorado Springs, Colorado- and back home in Illinois was a Grandpa that I had never met.
My Grandma Bootsie was always there, and she raised me with a love and appreciation for old musicals-mostly Fred & Ginger and Doris Day, but above all, Shirley Temple. I didn’t just love her, I wanted to BE HER. She had the dancing ability of someone twice her age, she could sing, and she was adorable to boot. But the thing that always struck me the most was that she always had a Grandpa. If she didn’t have a Grandpa, then she had an old man that started out grumpy and mean and in the end (due to Shirley’s unwavering charm) was revealed as a big ol’ softy. I thought to myself, “Shirley always has a Grandpa. I don’t have one of those. I need a Grandpa!”
So! I went on my quest to find the perfect one. I searched in super markets, churches, malls, my neighborhood, even in the average kind-looking stranger on the street. All he needed was some gray hair and a kind face. I would simply run up to him, hug his leg and ask, “Will you be my Grandpa??”. To my Momma’s relief, none of these men were rude or tried to kidnap me. They simply shook their heads with an understanding chuckle and shoo-ed me away.
After years of searching, I thankfully did find an “adopted” Grandpa in my neighbor across the street. His name was Cecil, and he had an immaculate home that smelled of pine sol and new carpet, and he always kept wax fruit on his kitchen table that for some reason I always had to play with. He was a retired Military man, and he sent me beautiful birthday and Christmas cards until his death in 2005. He was an incredibly sweet man, and was a great Grandpa.
However, I soon found out that I had a Grandpa back home in Illinois. A REAL Grandpa, that was actually mine. Soon we moved back here to this very flat state (compared to Colorado that is) and I was ready to find this Grandpa that I had been searching for my entire life. There had been a bit of family drama due to our move, so it took me a little time to finally see him. I spotted him and his wife Linda at my big brother’s basketball game, and I eagerly asked my parents if I could finally go meet him. They said it was fine, so I began to slowly make my way to his seat. Suddenly the eagerness in which I sought after all my previous Grandpa-stand-ins had fled! This was the real deal, folks. This was the big man.... MY. GRANDPA. I finally arrived at his seat, and reached out my little arms to put them over my Grandpa and new Grandma’s shoulders. In that moment, I knew that I had finally found the Grandpa I had always been looking for. He had a sweet smile, a shiny bald-top head, and a laugh that was instantly contagious.
As I grew up, there were definitely hardships and upheavals throughout our family, but eventually I was able to be with all the people I loved, together, all in one place. I finally had my Grandpa, and he was better than any old wrinkly Grandpa Shirley Temple ever had. Looking back, I never truly realized all the things that he had taught me, all the love that he had given, and all the patience he had shown every time I wanted to play “drop foot”. He helped me get my first car, he taught me to never spend money you don’t have, and he helped jumpstart my appreciation and love for oldies music including Elvis and The Beatles.
He lived an incredibly prosperous and full life, and he impacted a lot of people. He came in to this world on the Fourth of July, and he left us on Christmas Eve. He built a business, he built a family, and he moved the earth (literally, that’s his business haha). He did all of these things and more, but to me he did the simplest thing that meant more to me than he could ever imagine....
...he was my Grandpa.
I love you Grandpa Fred with all my heart. I cannot wait to tell my future children about you, with your big heart and funny stories. Say hello to Uncle Buck & Uncle Gary for me, and Zeeke & Zoey too if you get a chance.
Love always, Christi. 💗