Who He Is

As a child to now I have always been fond of the memories I made with my grandfather. From sitting on the couch eating snacks and watching tv, the time we went and played arcade games, all of the ice cream and and beach days, and the times I was too busy and he would just give me a call and ask how my life was going. My grandfather was a big piece of my life when I was a young girl. He taught me many new thing that I will use in my life forever. For example he showed me how to make memories I will never forget and how important it is to keep in touch with your loved ones because they are the people who will never forget you.

As I got older I saw my grandfather less and less because my life was here in Sabattus and his in Bridgeton. We did more facebook messaging then calling, he got to see my life on a computer screen. How often I would be out of the house with my friends making new memories. However, he would always be happy and tell me one simple picture holds the memories and if I keep them someday looking through them would give me a piece of the journey back that I have already lived. My grandfather has always been very high spirited and proud of the girl I was becoming. At this point I knew my grandfather and I would always be close and that we would always have a special bond most people did not.

After this my mom had made a trip for my sisters, her, and I to go to Boston. My sisters and I had no idea why we were going, we were just excited to be going. That was until she told us something that would change my life forever. My mom had told us that we were going to see our grandfather. I was confused because I knew my grandfather lived in Bridgton. Then she told us that she had to confess the grandfather I have always known to be my own was my step grandfather. I never knew my Grandmother was remarried, and worse I never knew who my real grandfather was.

Upon arrival to Boston was a bit awkward considering I had never met this man in my life. Not only was he a stranger he was my grandfather. When meeting him though he looked just as nervous and uncomfortable as I did. He was a shorter man, with a gray ponytail and glasses, and his name was Bob. He looked like any normal grandfather but it did not feel like he was mine. His house was a bit cluttered and did not have much space to walk around. There was a pool in the backyard, but it was empty. There was not really much of anything to do there, he apologized for that. I asked if he had board game and he did he had a ton of them. We all sat down and for hours played board games. At the end of the night I went over to him and gave him a hug saying I loved him. I will never forget the sound of him saying “I love you too sweetie.”

This was the first and last day I would ever meet my grandpa Bob. He had cancer and died that night. This was one of the worst experiences of my life and also one of the best. It was such a bittersweet experience. I will never forget the one day I shared with him. After meeting him I was frustrated, I only got one afternoon with my grandfather, one. It was not fair and was not enough time, I do not know anything about him. The only thing I know is one of his interests was putting ships in glass bottles. He gave me one, years later it fell on the floor and broke. I cried that day I wish he was still here.

Getting back home I did not want to speak to my mom or my step grandfather. Why would I want to talk to him he lied to me. To this day I have no idea why they kept grandpa Bob a secret from me. I could not even go to his funeral because I had school. My step grandfather asked me everyday from then for about a month how I was. I ignored him every time. Until I looked at pictures of the things we used to do and all the good times we used to have. I finally picked up the phone and called. There was yelling and crying until in the end he taught me one last lesson. Never waste time because you never know when someone is going to leave you. On that note I will add my step father was also diagnosed with cancer and is clinging onto life. I do not know how much time I have with him but will always remember to keep loved ones close and take pictures to have memories of all of the good things in my life.

Photo on Foter.com