Goodbye my sweet Grandma
Elma
I have many fond memories with Grandma Elma. Growing up, I
would come spend weekends with her, and these precious memories I will never
forget. I wasn’t accustomed to riding the city bus in my hometown of Bonney
Lake, so going to the “Big City” of Renton and taking the bus to the
Southcenter mall was BIG treat. She would let me pay for the bus tickets, and I
felt very important as the person in charge of holding the bus transfers. We
would ride down to the mall, and make our traditional stops. First was the
department store JC Penny. Grandma had the catalog delivered regularly, and
we would inspect the items together as a preview before going into the store.
We first stopped in the young girls department, where we would pick out clothes
together that we had previously perused in the catalog. Next, we would stop
at the makeup counter. Grandma would explain what she wanted, such as a new
eyebrow pencil, and then bitch under her breath that the sales woman had no idea
what she was talking about. It always made me giggle. I thought the woman had a
point, maybe a lighter shade of brown would go better with her red hair than
the black she had picked out. But what did I know? I was only 10. That’s what
Grandma wanted, and so that’s what Grandma got. Then we would mosey on down to
the food court. I would get my traditional McDonald’s Happy Meal, complete with
the girls’ version of the Happy Meal Toy, while Grandma contently ate her
Chicken McNuggets. Together we shared the
ketchup.
Grandma bought me my first cassette tape: Boys to Men,
Cooly-high-harmony. I still get teared up when I hear songs from that album. My
first attempt as a Gourmet Chef was at Chez Grandma Elma, a delicious mélange
of my two favorite foods at the time: Spaghetti and meatballs with a side of
mashed potatoes. I don’t know who was beaming more with pride in the Safeway
checkout isle as Grandma told the clerk of the delicious meal she ate, “á la
Rachel”. One of my first trips as a
newly licensed teenager was to see Grandma Elma. This time I took her to
Southcenter mall. The Chicken McNuggets were on me. Together we shared the
ketchup.
She was a lovely, sweet, crotchety old woman. And I loved
her very, very much. She had her moments, both good and bad. But then again, we
all do too. I loved her just the same.
Goodbye my sweet Grandma Elma. I don’t believe in heaven. I
don’t believe in hell. But I do believe in my dreams. It’s where I see Micah.
It’s where I see Herb. And it’s where I’ll see you.
With all my love.
Your granddaughter,
Rachel
