other, he picked at the hem of his pant leg, as he continued, “Joker found out about the stolen loads of paper and threatened to turn us in. He’d always had a thing for Gayle and she knew it, so she sacrificed her own happiness to spare me from going to prison.”
Confused, I asked, “Wait, who’s Joker?”
Gramp’s eyes seemed to darken as he spoke of the man with the unusual name. “Joker... Joker’s the man who’s been my nemesis since before I was born. His father started a feud with my father many, many years ago over a piece of property that they each claimed they owned and it’s been our birthright to keep it going.”
I let out a half-laugh, and teased, “You’re kidding… right?”
“Some things a man never kids about, Sugar. Feuding is one of them.”
Resting back in my chair, I studied my grandfather’s features. His carefree personality showed in the soft lines on his face, but life’s tragedies showed in his eyes. He was serious about this man and their ongoing feud, and I found myself intrigued by his story.
“So… Gayle married Joker to keep you from going to prison?”
He nodded.
I asked, “Then what?”
As he stood, his eyes darted around the room several times. He checked out the window as if he were expecting something, then turned to me and said, “Then nothing, Sugar. I met your grandmother… had my family… you know the rest.”
Something told me there was a lot more to his story, but I also sensed that he had grown uncomfortable talking about it. This had been the most he had ever shared with me and I didn’t want to run the risk of alienating him by asking more questions than he was comfortable answering.
Holding the pitcher of tea, he turned toward me, a serious expression filling the lines on his face.
“You know, Sugar, I never claimed to be the smartest man in the world, but life has taught me a thing or two.” He set the pitcher down and said, “First, if you’re going to do anything important, do it for love. There is no other reason. Second, never ignore your gut. Your head will over-think, your heart is too emotional but your gut will give it to you straight ninety-nine percent of the time. Don’t waste the sense the good Lord gave you.”
My nod was slight and maybe undetected by Gramp, but I paid close attention to what he said and found myself in deep thought. Few words and a simple philosophy had affected me in a way I hadn’t expected. I’d been doing things all wrong. I’d been trying to ignore what my gut was telling me, believing my head was the smarter of the two, while my heart buoyed in confusion.
I got up from the table and walked to where he was now bent over, putting our dishes in the dishwasher. I rested a hand on his back and said, “Thank you. I enjoyed our talk today and I wouldn’t mind doing it more often.”
Straightening to face me, he wrapped his arms around me, rubbed my back with one hand and said, “Door’s always open, Sugar. You know that.”
A secure but unexpected feeling passed through me. I nodded into his chest and replied, “I don’t feel as though I know much these days, but I do know that.”
~ ~ ~
I slouched in my chair, tossing my hair back, trying my best to avoid Brian’s attempts at conversation.
“Did you enjoy your visit with your aunt today?”
I lied and answered, “Yes,” as I thought how ironic his question was. Today, the first time in ages that I didn’t make my usual visit to the nursing home, he finally remembered that’s where I usually go on Saturdays.
Glancing up from his newspaper, he said, “I had a pretty busy day myself.”
Certainly, he’ll have to fill me in on the details, I thought. He continued to read his paper quietly, stealing quick looks in my direction as if waiting for me to ask him about his day. I could have let him simmer in his news but decided it would be over sooner if I patronized him.
My voice
Confused, I asked, “Wait, who’s Joker?”
Gramp’s eyes seemed to darken as he spoke of the man with the unusual name. “Joker... Joker’s the man who’s been my nemesis since before I was born. His father started a feud with my father many, many years ago over a piece of property that they each claimed they owned and it’s been our birthright to keep it going.”
I let out a half-laugh, and teased, “You’re kidding… right?”
“Some things a man never kids about, Sugar. Feuding is one of them.”
Resting back in my chair, I studied my grandfather’s features. His carefree personality showed in the soft lines on his face, but life’s tragedies showed in his eyes. He was serious about this man and their ongoing feud, and I found myself intrigued by his story.
“So… Gayle married Joker to keep you from going to prison?”
He nodded.
I asked, “Then what?”
As he stood, his eyes darted around the room several times. He checked out the window as if he were expecting something, then turned to me and said, “Then nothing, Sugar. I met your grandmother… had my family… you know the rest.”
Something told me there was a lot more to his story, but I also sensed that he had grown uncomfortable talking about it. This had been the most he had ever shared with me and I didn’t want to run the risk of alienating him by asking more questions than he was comfortable answering.
Holding the pitcher of tea, he turned toward me, a serious expression filling the lines on his face.
“You know, Sugar, I never claimed to be the smartest man in the world, but life has taught me a thing or two.” He set the pitcher down and said, “First, if you’re going to do anything important, do it for love. There is no other reason. Second, never ignore your gut. Your head will over-think, your heart is too emotional but your gut will give it to you straight ninety-nine percent of the time. Don’t waste the sense the good Lord gave you.”
My nod was slight and maybe undetected by Gramp, but I paid close attention to what he said and found myself in deep thought. Few words and a simple philosophy had affected me in a way I hadn’t expected. I’d been doing things all wrong. I’d been trying to ignore what my gut was telling me, believing my head was the smarter of the two, while my heart buoyed in confusion.
I got up from the table and walked to where he was now bent over, putting our dishes in the dishwasher. I rested a hand on his back and said, “Thank you. I enjoyed our talk today and I wouldn’t mind doing it more often.”
Straightening to face me, he wrapped his arms around me, rubbed my back with one hand and said, “Door’s always open, Sugar. You know that.”
A secure but unexpected feeling passed through me. I nodded into his chest and replied, “I don’t feel as though I know much these days, but I do know that.”
~ ~ ~
I slouched in my chair, tossing my hair back, trying my best to avoid Brian’s attempts at conversation.
“Did you enjoy your visit with your aunt today?”
I lied and answered, “Yes,” as I thought how ironic his question was. Today, the first time in ages that I didn’t make my usual visit to the nursing home, he finally remembered that’s where I usually go on Saturdays.
Glancing up from his newspaper, he said, “I had a pretty busy day myself.”
Certainly, he’ll have to fill me in on the details, I thought. He continued to read his paper quietly, stealing quick looks in my direction as if waiting for me to ask him about his day. I could have let him simmer in his news but decided it would be over sooner if I patronized him.
My voice
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