Granddaddy

That's what we always called him and I'm not sure why except that it seems most people have a particular name they call their grandparents. For us, on the Tucker side, it was Grandmother and Granddaddy, and they lived on the other side of the city almost under the letter "A" painted on the side of the mountain, serving as a landmark for us to know we were almost to my grandparents house. And quite a house it was...with a homey, familiar smell, blankets on the chairs, comfortable furniture, a cuckoo clock, and a big vent on the floor, signifying a world below the house.

That vent, a result of the heating and cooling units being located below the pier and beam construction, was a great mystery to me, continually fascinating and perhaps frightening me as I imagined strange creatures living below the house. I recall the frequent sounds and smells of the kitchen as the delicious turkey and dressing were being prepared for Thanksgiving. I also knew to be excited about watching football on the television set since that is what we were supposed to anticipate (it was important to share in that football energy whether I understood it or not). It was rumored in soft tones, that Grandmother did not appreciate the football watching and was not really supportive of this particular endeavor; yet we always gathered in the back room to yell at the referees, encourage the quarterback, and cheer for the team--as though any of that really made any difference!

During commercials we would go outside, hearing the reminder not to "cut our feet on the dog mess" and would play different games that children play when grass is under their feet. In the early years we played with the dog named Pancho, a cute little tan dog that really was not very friendly, and then later years was McDuff who although not appreciated by Granddaddy at first, eventually was loved by everyone!

I never really knew Granddaddy before his stroke which left him with a speech defect and some odd mannerisms. He tended to be a little gruff at times but somehow caring at the same time. I recall being slightly frightened when he would tap our plates signifying that we needed to eat all our food, and I laugh at the inevitable baseball discussions, the Hank Williams songs, and the odd little stores in the neighborhood where Granddaddy seemed to know the people and where he would always argue about the price of the item. Shoes and antifreeze were frequent concerns expressed, and I found out later these were two items that he insisted would never be a problem again for anyone in his family. Apparently as a child, shoes were a rare commodity, and I heard the story of the car that froze up, forcing him and his son (my father) to walk in the snow to get help.

Birthdays and Christmas were fun times since we always enjoyed the challenge of finding the perfect gift for him. He seemed to love opening presents, but we always wondered if he truly liked the item! Yet we continued to buy him shirts, ties, and even candy in the hopes he would be thrilled. Looking back I realize that Granddaddy did not really care about material items (except perhaps his favorite sweater and his television set of course), but he did care about his family and sacrificed everything he could for his children and grandchildren. He loved the Lord, never missed church, and regardless of what the day held, he always woke early and got completely dressed even knowing he would not be leaving the house in those later years. The twinkle in his eye and the slight mischievous grin on his face remained throughout his life, a life which he enjoyed immensely.

After his passing, we did find a piece of paper with cryptic numbers listed by several baseball teams, and we wondered about the extra dollar or two that seemed to be hidden in a few spots around the house. Perhaps he and buddies did some mild wagering on an outcome or two! My favorite memory is standing by him in church listening to him sing hymns in a high very musical tone without the slightest stammer, as though the stroke had no effect on him whatsoever. In music, he was whole again and in music he could express his powerful love of life.

In looking at pictures of him when he was a young, handsome man, and in reading letters he wrote, I realized that in spite of a lack of formal education he had overcome great obstacles and hardships in order to be a husband, a father of 2, and grandfather of 6. So Granddaddy, I know you are smiling down at your family which is quite numerous these many years later and I know you are proud. Thanks for all the love you gave in your life and thanks for being my grandfather.