Papa

Waiting for the coffeemaker to do its thing this morning, I was going over the plan for the day.  I had put it off as long as possible, but was almost out of a critical item that might mean a trip to town.  No, wait.  I could get that at Mt. Aukum!  Mt. Aukum is a whole lot closer with a lot less people.  I'm not agoraphobic.  I like people, I just don't like to leave home.  Contemplating this, I got to thinking about my maternal grandfather, Papa.

Maybe reclusivity is a hereditary trait.  I never knew his wife, the grandmother for whom I was named, as she died before I was born.  After her death, Papa lived for years as a hermit in the deserts of California before, for whatever reason, he came back to live with my Aunt Hilda.  That must have been hard for him, and probably not easy for my aunt and uncle.  I don't remember talking much with Papa, but he loaned me Western paperbacks...Zane Grey, Louis L'Amour, and Will James are among the writers I remember.  He also let me borrow from his extensive collection of National Geographic magazines.  I doubt my mother knew that National Geo at the time was an introduction to naked male and female anatomy from photos taken of aboriginal tribes around the world.  Hey, a girl's gotta learn sometime.  Papa chewed tobacco and there was always a spit can (coffee can) by his side and his grizzled chin was stained.  Must have driven my fastidious aunt nuts.  While I remember him as a taciturn man, I do recall one story about his time in the desert.  A stranger showed up at Papa's shanty in the middle of nowhere and spent a few nights.  After the man left, the police came, hunting for the escaped murderer.

I was a quiet child, and maybe that's why Papa put up with me.  I do remember playing store with him.  We took turns being the shopkeeper, buying and selling cans of this and that.  At least I learned to make change at an early age.

Okay!  Screeching halt in the reminiscing here.  I just got a call from Deb, and they and my new phone will arrive on Monday.  Since no one has been in my house since the pandemic started...and it shows...I have only a few days to pretend I've kept up with housework.  Gotta go!

Stay safe.  Be well.