26.6.07
i don't know how to say it
I don't think I told you about last weekend's temper tantrum.

I walked in the room and Seth had a crowbar and a sledge hammer and was preparing a strike on the kitchen floor. I overreacted with some woman-screaming about how we need to complete one construction project before we began another, and seth overreacted with some man-talking about how I was acting like an overbearing foreman. I think we both were correct.*

* Editor's Note to Ryan: If you've recently had three Guinness, I want you to know that Mommy and Daddy are doing fine and are not getting a divorce.


The thought of having my kitchen floors ripped up was so unnerving that I got in the car and left for Columbus. I had a pleasurable lunch at Olive Garden with Brittiny and our long-lost Angie. It was really great to watch her drink a Bloody Mary from an awkward glass. We think the waiter had a thing for Brittiny.

From Columbus, still determined to be a brat, I drove south to Washington Court House under the guise of Visiting Grandpa In The Hospital. Having long ago lost the ability to speak (minus, of course, a handful of crystal-clear swears) Grandpa has been in the nursing home with pneumonia, surrounded by random pairings of his six children for a few weeks now. The nurses made us all wear surgical masks and plastic gloves when we touched him. I am still mad about that.

At one point last Saturday, while holding his hand and scratching his poor, itchy back, i took my mask off and spoke to him. gramps stared for a while, looked me right in the eye, winked and gave me a little smile. I could tell it took just about all of his concentration. I count myself lucky for it.

I'm hoping to permanently sub that memory for last Saturday's visit, when his pupils had stopped responding to light and he stared vacantly, unable to focus on anything in the room. When he wasn't asleep, he screamed in pain or wept and sobbed like an infant. It was the worst thing I have seen in a long time.

I was relieved to hear he had passed on Tuesday afternoon. Surrounded by sons and daughters and grand kids and greatgrandkids for most of the last few months, he died with only Grandma in the room beside him. I imagine it must be a lot of pressure to die in front of a crowd. He was 88.

If this was a movie I think I'd show the clip of me, as a sixth-grader, and him, as the test subject for a school project. On the tape, from his recliner you will hear him tell me about the Depression. About shoveling coal in the furnace in the mornings. About mowing six acres of ground for a quarter. About the chain that broke, sending a few dozen logs tumbling down off a truck and on top of him. That broken hip would bother him the rest of his life. It would keep him from wars and it would kept him from dancing.

He was famous for the sharpness of his kitchen knives. He could grow anything - seriously, anything - in Ohio regardless of the climate it required. And I might be bias, but no one on this earth will ever make a fruit salad like my grandpa.

I will remember all of these things tomorrow at his funeral and I count myself lucky for it.

Labels:

posted by Class of 2000 officers @ 6:32 PM  
3 Comments:
  • At 26 June, 2007 20:19, Blogger Brittiny said…

    I wish I could be there for you hun. Please call me if you need anything. Love you!!!

     
  • At 26 June, 2007 20:46, Blogger Sweet T said…

    Another 10 points to Lyndsey for shit storm 2007. I love you friend, if I call, will you not answer? I love you again. You are one tough hot lady.

     
  • At 26 June, 2007 20:54, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I'm sorry for your loss. I'm glad you have such nice memories, especially that wink. ;)

     
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user guide.


Name: Seth
Alias: Teth Seter or Steter.
In Brief: The Steter in his natural habitat. Married to theteet.blogspot.com since August 2004. Often the victim of serious hyperbole. Handy.
Hates: Noise, Dominion Homes, above-the-nipple touching, when people get 'handsy.'
Loves: pies (of any kind), dirt, smoking a pipe after eating pie. also, cows.

Name: Maybel
Alias: The Pig or Boobles.
In Brief: Kentucky-born English Bulldog since February 2006.
Hates: Watermelon. All other kinds of melon. The sound of a new trash bag being opened and sitting in the back seat.
Loves: Treats, walks, Charlie, 'humping it out' and barfing.


Name: Amanda
Alias: The Sister.
In Brief: theteet's younger (but larger) sister. Survived a brain bleed in February 2007.
Hates: minor inconveniences that make her blurt out uncontrollably, brain bleeds.
Loves: UFC, cornhole, texting, fast food and her dog Charlie.


Name: mom and dad.
Alias: the 'rents.
In Brief: Ashland natives and frequent visitors. They taught me how to swear.
Hates: hospitals.
Loves: squirrels and lattes.


Name: Mae
Alias: Klingler or Maddog.
In Brief: Cincinnati resident and former college/Old Towne East roommate. Once wrote a song that made theteet cry.
Hates: Hate.
Loves: Jesus, family, puns, guitars and gardening.


Name: Colleen
Alias: Crankin and Rankin.
In Brief: Akron resident and former college roomie. Arguably more handy than Seth. Nice bosom for hugging.
Hates: all drivers.
Loves: beer, coffee, cigarettes and boys we all find strange.


Name: Talya
Alias: Strader and Sweet T.
In Brief: Chicago resident and former college roomie. served brief stint at theteet's 'accountability partner.' collects monthly fee for keeping quiet.
Hates: people who do not comment on her blog.
Loves: social justice, eggs, her boyfriend monsterbeard and the occupation of barista.


Name: Chris
Alias: Christopher, Monsterbeard and Nadine.
In Brief: Chicago resident and college buddy. Maker of 'We once waited up in the dark with a gun,' and other misadventures.
Hates: people who are looking the other way.
Loves: history, film, his girlfriend Strader and acronyms.


Name: pdawg.
Alias: none needed.
In Brief: Former co-worker who is willing to eat waffles with theteet at 4 in the morning regardless of level of snow emergency.
Hates: anyone under the age of 35.
Loves: Hostess pies, old man rants and golf.


Name: Linsly.
Alias: MERLIN, lin or newbie.
In Brief: Former co-worker who lived with us for a week. I can tell this kid anything. He's like a brother.
Hates: sexual predators.
Loves: zombies, guns, porch chats and movie quotes.


Name: jaydubs.
Alias: jwray and 10bagspacking.
In Brief: Co-worker who taught me everything I know about the world.
Hates: mean jokes, mushrooms, clipping fingernails in the office.
Loves: crafts, her gay-together but also betrothed person Kyle, Columbus Bride Magazine, veggie-friendliness and basil.


Name: jessica.
Alias: jessm.
In Brief: College buddy with the amazing handshake. I believe she might be back from Alaska and living in Hudson now.
Hates: poverty.
Loves: Jesus, jazz, geography and hilarious t-shirts.


Name: brittiny.
Alias: Brit-Brat, experimental dater or The Dunlap.
In Brief: Former co-worker (notice a theme here?) who started with me at SNP on the same day. Former Sorority president taught me the ropes of being a lady. her wisdom did not take.
Hates: visible pany line.
Loves: cocktails, shoes, 'the blue box' and her boyfriend the Lizard.


Name: garth and jen.
Alias: not safe around house plants and the real spider-man and/or HSnothingswronghere.
In Brief: Co-worker couple who proved themselves fun at work and on the farm. Periodically forced to kiss in gas station parking lots.
Hates: local broadcast news reporters.
Loves: zombies, movie quotes, Indianapolis and lin rice.


Name: Angie.
Alias: captain cool.
In Brief: Former co-worker who stole my heart. She is the only thing I've ever lost to the Youngstown Vindicator.
Hates: joe and misogynists.
Loves: celebrity gossip, hilarious captions, biking/hiking, her boyfriend Jef, her mom and Columbus.

Name: Melville.
Alias: welcome to earf or bad town.
In Brief: Former co-worker who let me inherit his seat at SNP. For a while, he was the only one who would talk Reynoldsburg politics with me.
Hates: fleas, eminent domain and people who flip the bird.
Loves: his evil cat, running, opinions, beer and Tom Waits.


Name: The Gerish.
Alias: The Gerish.
In Brief: Co-worker and rare, elusive creature. If you're lucky, you'll see a tousle of black hair breeze by over the cubicle wall.
Hates: Things that aren't crackers.
Loves: crackers.


Name: Dennis.
Alias: secret reading.
In Brief: Co-worker and rare, elusive creature. If you're lucky, he'll walk over and talk to you. But he probably won't. Once took my sister-in-law to Homecoming.
Hates: The damn kids who walk in his yard.
Loves: Corgis, Cedar Point and Rachael. But not the one you're thinking of.

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