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When I was little, I'd go over to his house. We'd sit around, I grab a cold one, and he'd grab one too. Okay so maybe mine was a cold root beer, but a guy can pretend. We'd open up those bad boys, and throw em back. We'd sit out on his old porch and watch the people go by. Lookin' at me, he'd say. "Yaaa know, Jackers, when you get to be my age, you'll know what the real meanin' of life is." I never knew what he meant by that, but I used to always reply with the same reply, "Gramps, I know what life means it means livin'." I just remember that laugh. He always laughed, that deep rough laugh.
Our birthday! He said it was the best day ever. He said He'd gotten the best present on that day, in 1988. He said it was me, only because I was his only grandson, I think. Regardless, we always spent the day together. We'd hang out, check out the ladies, drink a little root beer, and just have a 'Mans' day. That's what he called it. I remember when I turned 18, he took me out and brought me to a little exotic club, if you will. I know going with your Gramps doesn't seem like a lot of fun, but with him, he was my best friend. It was awesome. It wasn't like a nudie bar, or anything. It was just like a topless bar, that I could get into. He order root beer with me, cause obviously I wasn't old enough, and I'm still not. He promised on my 21st he'd buy me my first beer, legally.
At Christmas time, he'd come over to the house, and kick Mom out of the kitchen. Said it was a man's job on that holiday to prepare the meals. That was until he set the fire alarm off, about six times trying to boil water. But it was okay, because he was Gramps and he could do anything. He'd make sure to have a cold one in hand, at the end of it, he said he deserved it. Our Christmas ham always sometimes tasted a little like beer. He said it was the glaze, it just had a different kind of taste, but in reality he added his own flavors. We knew it, we just chose to keep it to ourselves.
The guy was a real class act, My Gramps. Although he wasn't a push over, and knew how to keep my ass in check. He was the greatest person, I'd ever met. I'll never forget the life lesson he taught me, and how proud of me he was, for being the man I'm becoming. So as his days ended, I just felt the need to make this tribute to him.
Hear that Gramps, I love you. Rest In Peace.
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