My Grandpa was livin' by himself up on a hill in the beautiful Willamette Valley in Oregon after Gramma Clara passed, and wasn't doin' too well takin' care of himself. So Mom moved up there, and was there for 5 years or so, until after Grandpa passed away.
That was after he got a bad foot infection, and had to have it amputated. (He swore he wouldn't live like that.) It was only 2 to 4 months later until he passed away. One of my special fond memories right before his passin' is of Teresa, who was married to Arthur at the time. Her and me and all 5 of our kids (I only had Tim and Rick) ran down there in her old white beater, and hissin' from the radiator all the way, and guzzlin' water; but it got us there n back. And we had a blast, too! (Thanx T!) But that was before.
Grandpa n Mom had moved down the hill to a cute little house, and he had just got out of the hospital. I went in the kitchen when we got there while all the others were swarming him in the living room. I asked Mom how he was doin, and she said "Not good. Not good cuz he won't eat anything." She said, "He don't wanna eat." And she was worried! And she acted kinda strange about it! I didn't get it! I don't know why. Maybe because she wasn't really sayin, cuz she did'nt want Grandpa or the kids to hear.
So I went in the living room and asked Grandpa "whatcha want fer lunch?" in an offhand manner. He started in yellin at Mom "now don't go gettin her in on it too!" He accused. I was like "in on what Grandpa? I just wanna feed the kids." I said we were starvin, so whatever he wanted, I'd get. We'd eaten in the car, but he didn't know it! So I lied! (First and only time I ever lied to him!) But I barely felt guilty.
And I felt really good when he looked at me and his eyes lit up and he said "Ya know, I could go for a burger." "A Trailburger." He said, "I think I could eat, if I had one of them." "Is that too much?" I was like "what? is it 100 bucks or something?" He laughed. I said "Must be some burger!" He said "They're great!" Mom had stopped bangin' around in the kitchen and come in and listened. She pulled me aside, and said "Go! Go now!" I was like "yeah, ok already!" But she kept urgin' me under her breath so only I could hear! So I went down to Trails on the scoot.
As I was orderin', the waitress heard the first half of the order and suddenly asked..."Is this for Bob Redwine?" I said "yeah, how'd ya know?", and she said "Its ok honey; I know EXACTLY how he likes it." So I quickly told her the scoop, and she said he was a regular, and it was lucky she was there 'cuz she was just fillin' in; but she was the only one that made Grandpa's famous Trail burger right. All the regulars in there agreed!
So then it was taking a long time, and I went to the kitchen and told the lady what Mom had said about Grandpa not eating and she said "Ok, I'll finish his up before anything else." And she did! I ran it back ASAP and Grandpa said "Wow, look at that Joyce! She really did go get me a Trail burger. And lickety split too. I think that was a world record on how fast she got that." (And there was a big mess of fries too, but he said "I don't want those!" So I said "No, those are for me!" "Quit tryin to take my fries!")
Mom was quickly grabbin' the burger and fixin' it and givin' it to him and sayin "yeah, Dad now eat, she was nice to get it for ya, yeah we know, now eat." And he was all tryin to talk to me, too! So then I saw her pinched face and suddenly knew JUST how worried she really was, so I felt horrible and sent the kids out to play and told Grandpa to "just eat it" or I'd never get him another one. And he shut up! And ate! And ate and ATE! You guessed it! The whole thing! My Lil Baby Grandpa ate that ENTIRE Trail burger! And baby, if you don't know, a Trail burger is HUGE!!! As big around as a dinner saucer and half again as high! Mom watched as he ate every bit. She looked at me as he ate the last bite, and was pickin up the bits of lettuce and eatin' them too. She laughed. "That was it," she said. "He wanted his special burger." "Yep," said Grandpa, as he licked his fingers. "That did it!"
She told me later he'd eaten almost nothing for days! And I believe the Trails named that burger after him!
Not too long after that, I got The Call from Mom. "Well, this is it," she said. "It's time to come back now." "Why?"I asked. I didn't get it. "You have to come now!" She was insistent. Now I recognize the tone. It was the same tone that I used when I spoke to Jesse, when it was Mom's turn. For The Call! "You better come now," I said to Jesse. "You better come NOW!" Mom said to me.
So I dropped everything. I had to go. Mom said to go. I knew. I didn't want to go so bad! BAD BAD! But I did. For him. For me. For my kids. Mostly, For Mom!
'Cuz She had been dealin. With all that. And it's not easy, is it Gloria? I know! I mean I really know!
And I remember that Aunt Judy came. And she was there. And that was good. And Mom and her tried to get me to go in and see him, but I didn't want to. I let everyone else first, cuz I knew! It was the end of an era for us. All of us.
And we finally got a minute alone! And I was so surprised! I was so very pleased! He looked good. For his situation, and his time, he looked GOOD! Or maybe just in MY eyes! But he looked GREAT! And we laughed. And he said "Joyce, where's that movie she got me at? That one time?" There was only one so me n Mom knew which one it was. And she put it on for him, and I went out and let him watch. Maybe rest.
And it was later or soon and Aunt Judy said It was OK and I couldn't believe she could say that to him but she said it was OK again and she said to him doyouwantmetogiveyoupermission? And he nodded to her .... and my Aunt Judy said the words to him that to me were so hard to say and I think she is an extrememly strong person and she said "It's OK Old-Timer! You did good! YOU DID GOOD! You can go now!" And he listened. And he went.
