My grandfather was a man's man. World War 2 naval officer, corporate executive in the 1960s, cigar smoker, whiskey drinker, etc. Don Draper mixed with Hugh Heffner, always dressed to the 9s. I lived with my grandparents during college, where in the evenings we would retire to his den to smoke cigars, sip scotch, and make masculine conversation - no girls allowed. He passed away about 15 years ago, still in good health in his late 80s.
After my grandfather passed, and me now living on my own, I would call my grandmother to make sure she wasn't lonely. My grandparents were happily married for about 60 years, so grandmom had to be bored with no one to talk to. What's nice is that I could talk about almost anything on the phone because she'd forget the conversation hours later. It was therapeutic.
One night I was going on and on about my Oneitis. How I really liked this girl but I wasn't sure if I could get her to commit despite buying her flowers, taking her places, and going out to dinner. What did I have to do to win this girl over? I had bent over backwards to please her, yet she didn't seem to be committal.
Years later, I can't believe how insightful our conversation was...
"You know, Hank. I remember when I first met your grandfather."
"At college, right?"
"Yes. We had been chatting on campus, and I definitely had my eye on him. He was tall and rugged, a football player. Do you know what he did?"
"What did he do?"
"One night he called me up and said, 'Hello, Gertrude. It's me Thomas. I'm going to take you on a date this week.' He was so blunt and direct about it.'"
"How did you react?"
"I was nervous. I told him 'Thursday afternoon would be good.' And do you know what he said?"
"What?"
"He said 'Great. Saturday night it is. I'll pick you up around 7:30.'"
"Hahaha, that's pretty funny, Grandmom. But why did he do that?"
"Well years later, when I asked him about it. He said he wanted to make sure that I wasn't seeing anyone else! He said if I was busy on a Saturday night, it meant I was seeing other men.
"And you kept seeing him? Even though he was rude?"
"Oh, I did. I was intrigued by him. Our second date really did it for me, though."
"Do tell. Where did Grandad take you on your second date? I bet it was somewhere fancy, and expensive."
"He took me to church! He wanted to make sure I was a woman with values, and it was important to him that I was religious. He wanted to see how I would react."
"Didn't that bother you, Grandmom?"
"After that I couldn't resist him. Your grandfather was so darn stubborn. All our lives, throughout our entire marriage. It always had to be his way.
"You didn't hate him for that?"
"No... I loved him for it."
After my grandfather passed, and me now living on my own, I would call my grandmother to make sure she wasn't lonely. My grandparents were happily married for about 60 years, so grandmom had to be bored with no one to talk to. What's nice is that I could talk about almost anything on the phone because she'd forget the conversation hours later. It was therapeutic.
One night I was going on and on about my Oneitis. How I really liked this girl but I wasn't sure if I could get her to commit despite buying her flowers, taking her places, and going out to dinner. What did I have to do to win this girl over? I had bent over backwards to please her, yet she didn't seem to be committal.
Years later, I can't believe how insightful our conversation was...
"You know, Hank. I remember when I first met your grandfather."
"At college, right?"
"Yes. We had been chatting on campus, and I definitely had my eye on him. He was tall and rugged, a football player. Do you know what he did?"
"What did he do?"
"One night he called me up and said, 'Hello, Gertrude. It's me Thomas. I'm going to take you on a date this week.' He was so blunt and direct about it.'"
"How did you react?"
"I was nervous. I told him 'Thursday afternoon would be good.' And do you know what he said?"
"What?"
"He said 'Great. Saturday night it is. I'll pick you up around 7:30.'"
"Hahaha, that's pretty funny, Grandmom. But why did he do that?"
"Well years later, when I asked him about it. He said he wanted to make sure that I wasn't seeing anyone else! He said if I was busy on a Saturday night, it meant I was seeing other men.
"And you kept seeing him? Even though he was rude?"
"Oh, I did. I was intrigued by him. Our second date really did it for me, though."
"Do tell. Where did Grandad take you on your second date? I bet it was somewhere fancy, and expensive."
"He took me to church! He wanted to make sure I was a woman with values, and it was important to him that I was religious. He wanted to see how I would react."
"Didn't that bother you, Grandmom?"
"After that I couldn't resist him. Your grandfather was so darn stubborn. All our lives, throughout our entire marriage. It always had to be his way.
"You didn't hate him for that?"
"No... I loved him for it."
