Saturday, July 01, 2006

More Stuff I Found

I don't know why it takes me so long to post! I'm a loser! Leave me alone!

Okay, if you refer back to my June 5th entry you'll see that this is the second in a series. And here's some more stuff I found while cleaning out my house:














This is a picture of me and my grandpa Murray, my dad's dad, at what I assume was my first birthday. My grandpa was an unbelievably funny man. He could tell a story like no one I have ever heard and if you made him laugh, you felt like you conquered the world.

When my grandpa was alive, (he passed away 20 years ago), we had the best Thanksgiving dinners. We'd have our meal and then the night turned into a variety show complete with jokes, stories and performances. Every year my grandpa would request I perform "I'm Chubby", which is that short monologue where you push your cheeks in and say, "Hi. I'm Chubby. My mamma's chubby, my papa's chubby, and even my dog is chubby..." You know that one? Well, anyway every year I'd do it and every year he'd laugh until tears streamed down his face. Then my brother would perform a stupid song that made him laugh just as hard.

What else do I remember about Grandpa? I remember Sunday brunches with him and Grandma Frankie where he would cut everyone's bagels. It's funny what we remember about people. I can so vividly see his hands as he cut my poppy seed bagel. No one else was allowed to have the knife. I also remember that he smelled like cologne and pipe tobacco. I LOVED that smell. And I remember the only time I saw he and my grandmother fight:

I was probably about 10 years old and I had spent the night at their house. We were all getting ready to meet my parents at some dinner theater in Long Beach to see "Man of La Mancha" and I was sitting on the couch, sort of staring into space. My grandpa came in and asked me what I was doing and I replied, "Nothing. Just sitting here." Well, he got so mad! He asked me what was wrong with me and why I didn't pick up a book and learn something! So I started to cry and my grandma came in and asked what happened and she got mad at my grandpa for yelling at me! They fought all the way to the theater.

In a way, that was a good experience for me. It showed me that my grandparents were human, it made me feel defended by my grandma, and it proved that even the best marriages can withstand a big argument. I remember my grandpa apologizing later and giving me a big hug and kiss. I couldn't get enough of those.

Grandpa also made amazing lentil soup. He owned a restaurant before my parents were married and was almost as good of a cook as my grandma.

I remember the day he passed away. My parents came to get me out of fourth period. I was a freshman and earlier that day had performed HORRIBLY in some scene my brother directed me in. I remember them telling me what happened and feeling like I was walking around in a nightmare. We drove to Fullerton and comforted my grandma. It was all pretty awful. I got really close to Frankie after that. Especially once I was old enough to drive... We'd have amazing days together, talking over chicken salad and cookies.

I know there was a hell of a lot more to my grandpa. These are just my most vivid memories. I'm glad I have a picture of when we were both much younger.

1 Comments:

Blogger Bowler Hat Productions said...

Thank you for finally updating your blog. But please don't expect us to "leave you alone" when all we want is MORE, MORE, MORE. It's not OUR fucking fault!

Nothing makes me happier than learning more about you.

I imagine Grandpa Murray's ghost approaching you on while you sit on that sweet onion of yours on your cushy couch, with your Bogie, staring into "The Amazing Race 17" on your giant screen television.

First, Grandpa Murray's ghost would ask you what was WRONG with you... and then he'd wonder why you didn't pick up a book to learn something.

Then the dialogue would continue:

GRANDPA MURRAY'S GHOST: Or at the very LEAST, write your ONE-WOMAN SHOW already!!!

YOU: Grandpa, LEAVE ME ALONE!!!

GRANDPA MURRAY'S GHOST: Oy veyis meer. See you later, Chubby.

YOU: CHUBBY?!?! (beat) Oh, "Chubby"! I thought you meant-- Grandpa... wait!

And then, POOF, he'd be gone again.

7:54 AM  

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