Dear Diary,
I spoke with my grandma the other day. I hadn’t seen her since July, but she is always the same. It’s amazing how much I can read her. I know her so well I could probably have a conversation with myself by simply predicting what her replies might be if she were indeed there. It would probably go something like this...
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Me: “Grandma, you smell so good,” ….
G: “Oh I guess, if you like the smell of decay.”
Me: “Whatever. Give me a hug”
G: “Careful, my sternal wires are all that’s holding me together”
Me: “Ok”
G: “Sit down. As usual you are never letting your body rest, constantly running around”
Me: “Actually this weekend I’ve had only one dance class and no homework”
G: “Still I bet you didn’t sleep much either way. Can’t you even let your mind rest. No, not there…floors are covered with staph and strep”
Me: “they look clean to me”
G: “Why don’t u go share a seat with your brother. Joey scoot over for her.”
(Joey picks me up)
G: “Put her down. You will give yourself a hernia before you’re 16”
Me: “Oh he’s fine gram, he lifts weights at the Y every other day”
G: “Joey, I thought you hurt your back in football”
(Joey replies saying the physical therapist approved him to play again)
G: “Well of course he signed off for you. He’s a sadist like half of the country. Why do you think we let our boys go to Iraq? Our country likes watching the young suffer”
Me: (laughing) “Sure… I bet that’s the reason why. I mean after all that’s why Michael Jackson is still living with open doors”
G: “Someday that woman is going to see what happens when the sh** hits the fan”
Me: “Grandma, can I use the phone?”
G: “Do whatever you want. If you have the mind like half of my kids you already made up your mind before even waiting for my answer so it doesn’t matter either way”
Me: “I’ll take that as a yes”
G: “Darling there’s some strawberry shortcake I got for you in the fridge”
Me: “Awesome. Let’s see (begins placing the food on plates)… you want some Gram?”
G: “No. no no. I’m completely full. I just had some toast.”
Me: “Ok”
G: “Alright, I guess so. Just a sliver for me though”
Me: (cutting the shortcake…) “I knew you’d give in. You can’t resist sweets, can you?”
(looks over to see that the grumpy grandma is fast asleep in her chair)
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So diary, I guess my conversation with both you and G (grandma) has come to an end. I’m so worn out and just need some rest. I guess she was right… I do need rest. She can have a mean way of saying things at time, but I know she loves me. She’s been through a lot in her life, I’d probably be the same pessimist she is when she gets tired. My friends all love her. She is such the social butterfly and most caring person I know. She worked at the blind school for years, raised 6 children basically on her own, grew up in the orphanage with her numerous siblings and went from foster home to foster home and yet still she has all this love to give. To the stranger looking on, you’d think I’m insane, but she really is so sweet.
I think it is valuable to speak with people from other generations. My grandma is very wise and her stories tell me about a time much different from today. I look up to her as a pillar of strength and knowledge in our family. Every conversation with her is a dear memory which I savor and hope never to forget.
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