Grandma

She sure was a feisty old woman and one of the most stubborn people I have ever met. Her gray hair would throw you off thinking she wasn't very tough, but if you challenged her to an arm wrestling match she would probably take you down.

When I was really young, around the age of five-eight, she would watch my sister and me every day while my parents worked the regular nine to five. She was obsessed with working out, staying fit and had to have her everyday walk around the subdivision. I dreaded those walks because she attached one of those funny looking leashes to my arm and dragged me around with her. She walked so fast that I could barely keep up. I tried every day to stay in the house, but she never trusted me because my cousin and I were always getting into stuff.

Growing up in the south, not that it matters, she never developed great English speaking skills. Certain words were pronounced incorrectly causing me to erupt in laughter all the while trying to get her to repeat the word. The movie Jurassic Park was Jeras-si-ca Park. Aggravate was ag-gi-vate. Believe me, the list goes on and on.

Being that she raised my cousin, who was my best friend, I spent much of my time at her house. Any time I would stay the night or stop by for the day there were always lunches, dinners, and snacks ready for my hungry, growing body. She spoiled and loved me hard.

Though she was stubborn, she sure did know how to have fun. Whenever I tried to get her to repeat words she didn’t know how to pronounce, she would grab her broom and chase me around the house calling me a little turkey. “Come here you little turkey,” she would say in her high pitched little voice. She still calls me a turkey to this day and has even transferred the saying to my 14 month old daughter.

This loving woman is known to me as my grandmother. She still plays a big part in my life because now my daughter is being taken care of by her while my wife and I work the nine to five. She considers herself very fortunate to watch all of her grandchildren grow, and now to give her great grandchild the love that she gave me.

One thing remains unchanged. I still torture and (ag-gi-vate) my grandma, and I will always be a turkey.