Saturday, September 25, 2010

ya know

The first time I met Grandpa Query was during a quiet, southern dinner with my soon-to-be in laws.  Everyone was very polite and wanting to get to know more about me.  While I don't remember any particulars, I'm sure we all had a nice conversation.  I did my best to be presentable and tried not to say anything stupid. 

As the evening went on, somehow I ended up in the corner of the couch next to Grandpa Query.  Best spot to be in these sort of events.  I can't remember if he showed me how he could pop his false tooth out before or after we started to get to know each other. 

He started into this wild story about his teenage years.  There was some sort of competition, like a Sadie Hawkins race or something.  So the boys lined up and started running and Thelma (his bride of 60? 65? years) was chasing him and finally caught up with him.  And that's how their story began.  Well... something like that anyway. 

It's not that I don't vividly recall sitting there listening to him tell this story... it's that I could hardly understand what he was saying.  His southern drawl is soooooooooo thick,  his vocabulary is soooooooo full of Grandpa Query-isms, and after every sentence he said, "ya know..." in this perfectly fitting way (accent on the yaaaaa) - it was like listening to quantum physics.  Well, not exactly... but something like that.

"I understand the words that you are saying, but I've never heard them put together like that.  So... a "frog strangler" is a very heavy rain?  Okay, got it... please continue."

Grandpa Query passed away this week. 

I imagine that he is delighted to be listening to some truly amazing stories from the Master Story Teller Himself right now.  I'm sure Jesus speaks fluent Query and it's quite possible that there is a whole new list of vocabulary that is being distributed in heaven right now.

I love you Grandpa.  Thank you for helping me feel so welcome and comfortable in the Mills family.  Thank you for letting Jackson slobber on your remote and thank you for giving Acacia rides on your "donkey" (his walker).  Save some barbeque for me.  I will miss you until I see you again.


1 comment:

Phyllis said...

Thank you for sharing your heart. You really captured Dad's personality in this. I was laughing and crying at the same time when I read it. We felt you were a part of the celebration of his life through this.
Love you!

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