Grandma Grace

A year ago today the United States government took over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and I was so worried about what was to happen in the coming years. I didn't realize how unimportant those thoughts were until I got a phone call from my brother to tell me my Grandma Grace had passed away. In between work and class I called my cousin to let him know, I called my mom and my aunt to talk to them too. I went over to her house after class and then stayed at my mom's until midnight. I don't know what if any good I could do, but just being around feels purposeful.

Grandma Grace is technically my ex-grandmother-in-law-once-removed or something... in my family, that means she was my grandmother, and I her grandson. She never treated me any differently either. I remember in the mid-90's when there was a chance for all the kids of her 5 children to be in one photo, she refused to pose unless my brother and I were in it too, we would not be excluded. Grace was diminutive, but forceful, she was soft spoken, but opinionated. Later in life she was dependent, but fiercely independent.

I smile and cry tonight thinking of just a few weeks ago, I was trying to help her get into an Expedition and she slipped off the running board and bumped her leg. She was upset but not at me, she was mad at the "adults" who decided she should ride in that "stupid thing." She sent me a card saying as much, just to make sure I didn't feel bad. When she moved to Charlotte a while back I felt lucky to have a grandparent, after all mine are dead, save for one with Alzheimer's. I loved talking to her about her past, raising 5 kids as a widow, the history she saw. She left me, us, with a smile, literally. Proper, I will remember my pretty little lady just like that.