08/06: Putt and Bang

My maternal grandpa's name was Roger.
I have many great memories of him
being a fun grandpa that let us kids get away with everything.
He ran a post office and general store in the ground level of his home.
Being a kid I thought it was the coolest thing in the world
and we would often play in the store.
He had a lot of difficulties with diabetes
and had one of those chair lift things on the stairs
to help him get up and down the narrow steep passageway,
I used to love riding that thing whenever we visited.

At some point he had crutches,
and at others a cane or something.
When he was playing around with us grandkids,
he would point the crutches or can at us and say
"Putt and Bang"


Right now, thinking of him,
it makes me feel bad not knowing the date that he passed away.
I know it's around Thanksgiving.
There is something about the death of grandparents
that makes me feel more deeply sad for my parents
than it makes me sad for myself.
I put myself in their shoes
and I think about how much it will hurt someday when I lose my parents
and it makes me really sad that they have to experience that pain.
I know my heart will break the day I lose my parents.
I would want someone to know the date of my father's passing.
Sorry mom.
I should know that.
I know how much it would mean to me if I were you.