Crime of Life
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Remembering
I was young when my grandfather died. He was a veteran of the second world war. This is what I remember.
Mom was crying, dad was holding her. My aunts and uncles, cousins and grandma, they were all there, but I didn't want to look around. When grandpa was sick, we visited him a lot in the hospital. I never wanted to go. The smell bothered me. But mom said it was important, so we all went together. When I saw him in the casket, I remember he looked the same as he did in the hospital, only asleep. For a while after this I was afraid of going to sleep.
After the service, we went back to my grandpa's farm. One of his friends was there, too. He was dressed up like a soldier, with medals all over. He arrived in a limousine, and I remember all of us were amazed by that. We'd never seen a limousine in our small town, just in television shows and movies. So my grandpa's friend took us for a ride while he told us a story about my grandpa in the war. But I don't remember the story, just the ride.
I know my grandfather was an incredible man, I just wish I could remember that. ¶ 7:41 AM
Mom was crying, dad was holding her. My aunts and uncles, cousins and grandma, they were all there, but I didn't want to look around. When grandpa was sick, we visited him a lot in the hospital. I never wanted to go. The smell bothered me. But mom said it was important, so we all went together. When I saw him in the casket, I remember he looked the same as he did in the hospital, only asleep. For a while after this I was afraid of going to sleep.
After the service, we went back to my grandpa's farm. One of his friends was there, too. He was dressed up like a soldier, with medals all over. He arrived in a limousine, and I remember all of us were amazed by that. We'd never seen a limousine in our small town, just in television shows and movies. So my grandpa's friend took us for a ride while he told us a story about my grandpa in the war. But I don't remember the story, just the ride.
I know my grandfather was an incredible man, I just wish I could remember that. ¶ 7:41 AM
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Huffing and Puffing
After he kicked in my front door, I stopped threatening to call the police and actually did. The man wanted nothing more than to come inside and pull Ivan out -- and it wasn't as though I liked Ivan, but by comparison he was far safer than the big bad wolf at the door.
This man was prone to bad decisions. A distant friend of a friend who was new in town and lived nearby. I was friendly, we hung out. I recall one night when I went camping, he showed up. No tent, no sleeping bag; nothing but a few flats of beer. He drank without pause. There was this place he knew of that he insisted on driving to, and he went, a dozen beers later. When he came back, he bragged about his near collision. Like it was some mark of manliness.
The big bad wolf had been dating Ivan's sister, and for whatever reason, they hated each other. We'd all been at the only bar in town earlier that evening, and apparently they had exchanged words. They were drunk as all stinking hell, angry, and in my home. So when I locked the door on him, he kicked it down. I know that he wasn't thinking clearly, and I know he was sorry for doing it, but that was the last I ever saw of him. Driving away in a hundred wild emotions, risking everything around him. ¶ 9:07 PM
This man was prone to bad decisions. A distant friend of a friend who was new in town and lived nearby. I was friendly, we hung out. I recall one night when I went camping, he showed up. No tent, no sleeping bag; nothing but a few flats of beer. He drank without pause. There was this place he knew of that he insisted on driving to, and he went, a dozen beers later. When he came back, he bragged about his near collision. Like it was some mark of manliness.
The big bad wolf had been dating Ivan's sister, and for whatever reason, they hated each other. We'd all been at the only bar in town earlier that evening, and apparently they had exchanged words. They were drunk as all stinking hell, angry, and in my home. So when I locked the door on him, he kicked it down. I know that he wasn't thinking clearly, and I know he was sorry for doing it, but that was the last I ever saw of him. Driving away in a hundred wild emotions, risking everything around him. ¶ 9:07 PM
