Thursday, January 13, 2011

Remembering Papa

Remember these? Romper Stompers?! When I was little, I saw them on my favorite TV show, Romper Room, and I just had to have a set. Our local toy store didn’t sell them, but my beloved grandfather agreed that I had to have them, and he went from store to store until he finally tracked them down. I remember how excited he was to give them to me. Even today, in my mind, he is beaming as he watches four-year-old me stomp around the kitchen on those plastic yellow cups.

It was a small moment, but to me it really sums up my grandfather. He adored his grandchildren and would have done anything for us.

Papa died in 2000. Had he lived, today would have been his 100th birthday. Even 10 years later, I still miss him terribly. I miss staying at my grandparents’ house and jumping into bed with him in the morning. I miss seeing him waiting for me on the porch when we visited on Sunday afternoons. I miss going with him and my grandmother to the mall and visiting with their friends who all hung out there. I miss seeing him drive his great big Cadillac.  I miss how he couldn’t leave a message on my answering machine but wondered how I always knew that he had called (because I could hear him yelling to my grandmother, on the machine, “She’s not home.”).

I wish I still had those Romper Stompers, but I have so many wonderful memories.

1 comment:

  1. I had to laugh, because my Dad and Mom do the same thing... they don't say anything on the answering machine, but I can hear them yelling at each other, "She's not home." Isn't that funny? I miss my Grandparents too, but I am so glad to have shared so many wonderful times with them. My own Dad will be 90 in June. Love & blessings from NC!

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