Her number was called

a little story about my Gramma and Grampa

      Gramma was a pretty cool lady. Grampa loved her so much. She was five years older than him when they married, positively scandalous for the 1930's. Their first home was built by Grampa, out of boards and nails he scrounged from scrap (after the first one fell down, he always liked to add).

      They had a good long life together, just over 60 years, but it certainly was not easy, through depression and war. They ran a saw mill at one point, and Gramma picked logs on the river and trapped. She was an unusual woman for the day, to say the least. They lost a son to drowning when my mom was a wee babe. Those were tough times.

      I was lucky. My parents took on the role of taking care of my grandparents in their older years. That meant they were always near us. Gramma and Grampa travelled a lot with my parents when they were in their 70's to early 80's. They went to Vegas 5 to 6 times per year. The first time Gramma got on a plane and they were in the air, she said, quite seriously to my dad, who loves to recount this story, "I think the bus has stopped."

      Her favourite shirt to wear to Vegas was a shirt I bought her, with her name on it. On the back it had a bingo card, and it said, 'Old bingo players never die, they just go when their number is called.'  The number 18 was circled. We put that shirt on her in her coffin. She died on my 25th birthday, the 18th of September, the day her number was called.

      Almost eleven years later, Grampa had packed it in mentally, and made his peace with dying. He told me, "If I go in the hospital I am never coming out." I had just had my baby, and was sitting on his bed in the nursing home, with my wee babe in arms. "Oh Grampa," I said, "you are never sick, what would you ever go in the hospital for?" He looked at me seriously, telling me he saw Gramma, and she asked him to come home.
     
      A few days later, Grampa was rushed to the hospital in the middle of the night. He had a high fever, but apparently a very treatable infection. The doctor said there was no rush to come. He was 92, and not on any medications. The only reason he was in a nursing home were dizzy spells that made it tough to walk and take care of him. Grampa woke up and died before any of us got there. There was no clinical reason he should die. I always thought he woke up, looked around the room, and realizing he was in the hospital, said "Mama I am coming home."
    

Author's Note

I always spelled Grandma and Grandpa Gramma and Grampa

Reviews

[Pryde Foltz]

The first time Gramma got on a plane and they were in the air, she said, quite seriously to my dad, who loves to recount this story, "I think the bus has stopped."

Thank you for sharing this wonderful story of true and lasting love. Very rare in the world today, very rare.

[Lyn Anderson]

My gramma was well into her 70's on her first plane ride. She loved it but never quite grasped the concept.

[MomzillaNC]

So very touching. You've crafted a moving tale to share with us. My grandparents were very important to me too. Summer's with Gran and Jack (my grandfather) are likely the only reason I didn't end it all before making it to college. They were one of those always in love couples too. I think you read my poem, "Move On, Move On," which is my homage to them. I think your homage is much more moving.

There are tears in my eyes as I write this review. Not tears of sadness, though. The beauty of their tale brought tears to my eyes.

[Lyn Anderson]

Aww, thank you, that means a lot. My maternal grandparents were truly remarkable people, who gave me the most wonderful mom I could have asked for.

[MomzillaNC]

IDK if my mom would have been a great mom or not. Whatever she might have been was corrupted by her PPD with accompanying PPP.

[Lyn Anderson]

As I have said before, I realize how lucky I am despite other trials. :)

[MomzillaNC]

We write what we know. And to be able to write blessings is a gift in itself.

[Bright Ocean Star]

K, I love this story! It is sweet, historical, touching, emotive, and very plausibly real. Great write! Thank you for sharing it with us.

[Bright Ocean Star]

Loving grandparents should be embraced in every household. They contribute so much to a child's life. I'm really glad you had a good relationship with yours. It is wonderful to watch two people love each other the way your grandparents obviously loved each other for 60 years. This was a beautiful tribute to both of them.

[Lyn Anderson]

Thank you so much.

[Matching Socks]

Aww. :-(
Hugs darling. xo

[Lyn Anderson]

The part of the notebook I loved was the old people story.:)

[Matching Socks]

Yeah, I love old people stories. I haven't seen the notebook but I think I should.

[Lyn Anderson]

Oh, yes, you should.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

This is indeed a sad tale and you obviously loved them and are thinking of them at this time.

[Lyn Anderson]

Yes, mostly because it is my Gramma's birthday. But I don't really think of it as sad. Theirs is a true love story. If only I could be so lucky as to have that kind of love.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Amen to that!

[NoelHC]

An inspiring story, I expect few people today would work as hard, or put up with the life that the depression generation did.
Relating to your story, my grandfather on dad's side passed away before my grandmother. She held up for the year after his death, to get to the celebration mass held in the Orthodox church a year after his passing. When she got through that, she let herself go to be with him.
Their life experience was much like your grandparents', on a small farm in the Alberta bush.
Thanks for sharing your history.

[Lyn Anderson]

Thanks for reading. I miss my grandparents very much. They were a huge part of my life. I have seen my share of heartache, but my family is a loving one, and I count myself as fortunate.

[NoelHC]

I know what you mean, I miss mine as well. I never knew my maternal grandfather, he was gone some 5 or 6 years before I was born, but I still use my maternal grandmother's apple pie as the standard which others are compared to, and usually found to be somewhat lacking. ; )

[Lyn Anderson]

Yes, that apple pie recipe I have made my own, and anyone's but mine or my mom's is kind of meh ...:)