Grandmothers Are the Best(revised)

"Grandma, how come you don’t drive fast like Grandpa?”
“Because your grandpa doesn’t listen to what other’s tell him; Driving fast won’t get you there any faster”
“Grandma, can you drive without your hands on the wheel?”
“Sure, but only for a few seconds.”

Then she proceeds to show me just how this is possible. I was ten years old and truly amazed at this. This is usually how a conversation with my grandmother went. I always had questions, and she always had the answers. We both love to talk, so conversations would last forever. She used to tell me all the time that you just can’t walk up to people and ask questions (I had a bad habit of doing this). That is, until one day I met a lady who told me if I ever wanted to know anything, just ask. She said I might not get the answer that I was looking for, but at least I asked. Since that moment I was on a roll asking Grandma and anyone else question after question.

My grandmother watched me when I was little while my mother was in school and she taught me very valuable lessons. She would always, “You don’t ask everything that comes to your mind; some things you keep to yourself.” I remember going on trips with her, and my grandpa and the trip would usually go something like this,

“Rufus, slow down and pay attention.” (He is driving in excess speed)
“I’m ok, stop telling me how to drive.”
“Rufus, watch out for that truck!” (A sixteen wheeler has almost taken us to an early death.)
“I have it, you just ride.”

I used to enjoy riding with her when Grandpa was driving, since he never watched the road but instead liked to sightsee while driving. My grandmother taught me everything I know today. She taught me how to clean house and wash dishes. I remember begging her to let me wash dishes at five years old. She would put me in a chair on my knees, and I would wash away. I thought it was the coolest thing in the world. I remember my grandmother and me talking about everything from God to what was on TV.

Grandma and I loved to sit down and watch “The Price is Right” while always winning the games at home. My favorite memories of her are when we would go to the strawberry fields and pick my favorite fruit. At that time you could eat the strawberries right out of the field, and that’s what I would do. Afterwards, we would always go to the grocery store and get those round circle cake things, so when we arrived home we could make strawberry cups. They kind of reminded me of strawberry shortcake minus the ice cream and whip cream. They were the best things ever and I always looked forward to times like these. Anyone who knew my grandmother always believed that she was the sweetest person in the world. She was known around town as “Mom’s Taxi,” and she even had a bumper sticker that said it too. If you needed to go anywhere, she would be there and would never charge for her services and often would not accept tips. My mother and friends say that I act just like a grandma because of my wisdom and intelligence. The following poem reminds me so much of her and to this day I still remember the conversations just like it was yesterday,

God made angels, Among all of us. You, My Grammy, Was one that He touched. And He gave you me, When I was lost. You gave me a home, And loved me a lot. Somehow you did it, Even when it was tough. You raised me as yours, You gave up a lot. Now I'm all grown up, And I like looking back. To the times we spent together, Remember how we laughed. God made you special, You did all the rest. My Grandmother the Angel, You're one of the best.

The only person I have left to look up to like a grandmother is my grandmother’s sister, which is my aunt Betty. She currently resides in Philadelphia, and over the Christmas break I received an unexpected chance to visit her and my aunt Clara, who I hadn’t seen in twelve years. It was the most interesting part of my vacation. My aunt Clara has Alzheimer’s, and she is ninety-eight or ninety-nine years old. My aunt Betty is about ninety-six or ninety-seven years old.

Throughout my whole visit, my aunt Betty waited up at night for me to get home (even though I told her not too), and she was constantly worrying about everyone around her, which is just how my grandmother was. She even resembles my grandmother. Grandmothers are the best people in the world, and no one can replace them and the spirit that lives within them.