My Grandma at Age 34

My grandma greets me with her hand reaching out for mine, gentle, soft, and trembling a bit. It resembles the tug a toddler will do on your purse strings, trying to albeit the love of his mother, a gentle tug to say.... "I'm here" while you exchange pleasantries at the grocery line. My grandma greets people the way you feel in your bones a person should. Meaning she resembles the image one raises in themselves of a past memory, only many we revisit latter with disappointment...... There are few that go in the opposite direction bringing on childhood memories like waves of yesterday, thirty years later..... that is my Grandma Betty.

"Little Missy.... Little Missy I know you hear me now.....Grandpas tired and real.... "OK OK OK I SAID JOE" Little Missy you must come down now Ive got to go on to get supper started."

And she'd wait at the bottom of the slide so massive that she follows you from ladder rung to the sliding ending, with true fear in her frail visage. Standing 20 feet in either direction dead center of two really needy beings...... and then you fly overhead this image realizing as a mom now, not really dead center, not really even close, her face hasn't left yours, 200 more feet in spirit. "Come now Daddy has to take his water pills, you know the Indian Dr, Dr Singh, Hes so good, did I say Daddy Little Missy, that's your Grandfather, fought in the War".

She greets me hunched over as if I am still 3 feet tall. And as I see her greet people I realize the curvature of her spine is in direct proportion to her need to pray you in. More tugging on that hand or your purse string, as the longer you have been in her prayers, waiting to see your chest rise and fall, in the flesh. Once during your visit she will appear to kiss your hand only to gently slide her finger over your artery on your wrist..... Only a glance away from you gives it away, as shes grown accustomed to using the second hand off her watch.....

I suppose that's how we choose our people, we meet standing up but in love we lean over to breathe them in. Some would say pray them in. I feel its a hard drawn out breath, like breathing life into your own lungs.... I don't suppose we all have this gift, maybe some of us are to righteous to admit that..... We are most in love when we are kneeling.... aren't we?

As I go I offer to take her shopping or fix her car "No No now dear, you just go make those babies supper, you promise you feel good though? You tell me..... I will say even more prayers you know sugar".  "I feel fine grandma, the baby tugs on me all night now". "Ohhh...... you sing to him, Little Man "


Little man, you're cryin', I know why you're blue
Someone took your kiddy-car away
You better go to sleep now
Little man, you've had a busy day

Johnny won your marbles, tell you what we'll do
Dad will get you new ones right away
Better go to sleep now
Little man, you've had a busy day

You've been playin' soldier, the battle has been won
The enemy is out of sight
Come along there soldier, put away your gun
The war is over for tonight


We sung this on nights before travel or seeing people for long times, it was cathartic and tumultuous, the feeling of Grandpas Talcalm powder as he chuckles to the sound of Uncle Leonards shaver every barber shop visit..... on the back porch. That feeling there, but in a song.

                                                                  Elizabeth Hands
                                                           Fan of Barney Feif, Judge Judy
                                                             Worlds best silent cheerleader,
                                                                      34 years running.