Grandaddy’s Doughnuts

I hesitated to post this, but I express thoughts here that I would otherwise probably hold in. It helps me mentally to get my feelings out.

My Grandaddy is sick, and I’ve been using all of my extra time to go and sit with him. Sometimes we chat. Sometimes I just sit there as he sleeps or watches TV land.

Grandaddy is one of the best men I know. He has shown me nothing but love for almost 40 years. I grew up beside his house, and then I lived with him in high school. I’ve never heard him complain about me, and he’s never spoken anything but positive words to me. In life’s biggest mistakes, he was there to hug me and tell me it would all work out. He would roll with it, and wouldn’t even get on to me when I’d mess up. The love he’d show would automatically make me want to do better.

I’ve watched him love and help people who couldn’t care less. I’ve watch him give to people who never intended to give back to him. I’ve seen him open his home to strangers. I’ve seen him show love and forgiveness to people that were undeserving. When folks couldn’t catch a break, Grandaddy would give them a break.

I don’t know how much longer I’ll have him here to talk to. I pray he gets better, but I realize it’s appointed for each of us to take our last breath. I’m spending as much time with him now, so he’ll know even more how much I love him. That’s what life is about anyway right?

The other day I sat there and watched him talk a little, and nap, and smile, and shake his head. I remembered how he would take me to the store when I was little; too many times to count. “You wanna’ go to the store grand-darlin’?” he’d ask.

I spoke up and said, “Grandaddy... do you want me to go get you something from the store? Anything?” He looked at me, and then looked away. About 30 seconds passed and he said, “I think I’d like a doughnut and a Coca-cola.” I told him no problem, and me and my sister went and got him (and Grandmama) some doughnuts. Grandmama asked “How many doughnuts are you gonna’ get?” I told her “I might get a dozen.” She smiled and shook her head. She wanted the chocolate ones. 😃

I love my Grandparents. They’ve lived in the same house since 1962. Grandaddy told me he built it for around $10,000. That was a while back, lol. It does my heart good to go back there and sit with them in this same house. I have so many good memories inside those walls.

I could probably write a book about him, but I’ll stop here for now. I may post a lot more as I remember, because he’s pretty much all I’ve got on my mind currently.

Thanks for reading a bit about my Grandaddy.