Grumps

My memories of my Grumps are often hazy. I have lived away from him for along time, and now he is gone. When I search the recesses of my mind, I don't remember him as a chatty man but then if I push I remember his words and his deep voice thick with that Maine accent. Because of time, it was all too easy to remember not being close to him but with the memories of his voice came the memories of doing things with him. Riding beside him in a green truck with a big white stripe to visit his mother, my great grandmother Sarah. Sometimes he'd stop at one of those general stores that only exist now to lure tourists in and buy me penny candy. I remember sitting on his lap while he sat at the kitchen table. I used to help him do chores from cleaning out his work truck to helping around the yard. I can still remember how his Lucas truck always smelled like oil. I remember that he used to give up his space in the bed so that I could sleep with my Grams when I spent the might. Or how he would carry me inside after a long car trip, and I'd pretend to sleep. I remember that he always smelled like Old Spice, and that when I was old enough to buy Christmas gifts, I would always get him Old Spice gift sets. He always acted thrilled.

But the story I like the most about my grandfather is the only I can't remember. I only know the story because he loved to tell it. My earliest memory of the story starts with me leaning against my grump's leg, and saying "Tell me about the bathroom when I was a baby!" And he looked down with a grin.

"One night I woke up," he began, "Because I could hear you crying."

"I cried a lot right?" I interupted.

"Oh yeah," he chuckled. "You cried all the time except when Ginny was holding you."

And I'd turn to smile at my grandmother. 

"Well that night you were crying, and you just wouldn't stop so I got up to see what was going on. I walked down the hall and the crying got louder. I thought "why is the baby in the bathroom? I opened the door, and there you crying your head off in the tub!"

"The tub was full of clothes right?" I asked.

"Yup, and you were right there in the middle with your face all red and you were mad."

"What did you do Grumps?" I asked

"I picked you up and brought you to bed with Ginny and me."