Weekend Freewrite (2-3-18) My grandfather lied.

Photo from pexel.

I heard mom talking to one of the uncles. She said they didn't
know he was sick. He always told them he was fine. Well, I guess
because my grandfather lied to my grandmother, so I guess it
runs in the family.

Grandma never knew he was sick because he didn't want to worry
her. Then when grandpa fell down the stairs, our mom lied to
us to protect us from worry? Some things just get handed down I
guess.

Grandma was very upset that grandpa never told her his heart had
been bothering him. Their family doctor told her, after grandpa
passed away. He made the doctor promise not to say anything to
the family, until after he was gone. Guess he got his wish, didn't he.

Grandpa was a great man but also a bad one for keeping the truth
from his own wife.

Margaret had this habit of spitting. It began to get on my nerves. I
don't care if she is family, but spitting when someone mentions any
word about grandpa is annoying. She may not have liked him, but he
was my grandpa.

The spit would always run down her lower lip and she would
grudgingly wipe it off with her shirt sleeve. When I asked why she
does that, she said it is a foul word to speak of someone who does
not speak truth to his wife.

I told her I agree, and even as a child I see it is wrong to lie. We are
taught to tell truths only. He just wanted grandma to not worry about
him. He hated feeling useless. I said I don't like her spitting. If she
didn't stop, I would start spitting at the sound of her name. I ducked
as she tried to smack my mouth.

The day her mother slapped her face. Oh how I will never forget that
day. Mother used some very bad forbidden words when she talked
to Margaret about her not respecting her father. Both sets of grand-
parents were there at the funeral.

Soon as someone mentioned grandpas name, she spit on the grass.
Well, her mom saw that and slapped her face right there in front of
the whole group. Mom smiled down at me and I grinned. Then I
stuck my tongue out at Margaret. Instead of her trying to slap me,
she got it from her own mom.

Bet she won't talk smack about my grandpa again anytime soon. As
for my grandma, she didn't worry much about what people thought.
She loved him.