Post #5 You'll Always Be Remembered Grandpa

    I remember going on those trips, those days when I was just a little kid and my grandpa took me out to the beach, to the movies, to ball games, to the toy stores, to eat ice cream, and to just be with him.  Those summers when I used to stay with him and grandma all day.  Those days seemed endless, they were always filled with different things to do.  Those where the days when the only things I had to worry about were of falling off my bike or what ice cream flavor or what toy should I get.  Those days were the days when I used to go to the movies with my grandpa, we watched two, sometimes maybe even three movies a day.  We both loved movies, we both loved going to the beach, he told me his jokes, I listened and laughed.  He told me stories of when he was in the Army and the places he'd been to.  From Germany to Kentucky to Florida to California.  He was my hero, he told me of how his brother got injured during the Korean War.  We played together, we marched together and he taught me how to march just like he did.  He told me how life was when he was my age.  He told me everything, and nothing was boring, I could listen to him for hours, we could walk together forever and it still wasn't enough.  Whenever we walked I always used to hold his hand tight playing with a little scar he had on his finger.  I remember those hands, whenever we walked, I always looked up to him, there was his face, always with smile.  Always smiling, I even remember the gold necklace he had, and the golden watch he always wore.  I always remember those shades he wore during hot summer days.

    And sadly, just as good as I remember those beautiful days of my childhood, I also remember those days when calls to my house filled my mom's eyes with tears.  I remember calls coming in and I remember how my dad always hugged my mom whenever those calls came in, even though, the tears never seemed to stop.  Those calls always made me anxious, till' one day, my dad told me what was going on.  My grandfather was very ill and sick.  How is it that my hero, my grandpa, the man that told me all those stories of courage and valor, all of a sudden he was feeling like this.  How?  I could not believe it, of course as a kid, I just said to myself "well this is all normal" but deep inside, I feared the worst.  One day, I remember it as it was just yesterday.  It was early in the morning, a call came in from grandma's house, she said to my mom that we have to get there as soon as we could.  So we did.  When we got there, he was sitting at his soft green reclining chair.  I remember that chair, I remember as a little kid when he used to sit there with me and read to me, or tell me one of his many stories, always more interesting and more real than those other stories.  I remember falling asleep on that chair while playing with my toys or while watching TV.  The chair, filled with life, happiness and joy was now filled by sadness, pain and weakness.  He sat there, motionlessand pale, he did not speak, or at least he did not speak loud enough for me to hear clearly.  I remember how my dad and uncle checked on him while my mom, with tears tried to comfort my grandma, also filled with tears.

    It was all clear now, he was very sick, it all happened so fast, too fast for me to even talk to him.  So my parents called an ambulance.  We waited for the ambulance, wa waited and waited.  No sirens heard, and we decided to take him to the hospital ourselves.  My dad helped him downstairs on to the car.  It was a long ride to the hospital, or so it seemed, it was a quiet trip, the only thing heard were prayers and tears.  We got to the hospital, Emergency Room, the sign said.  I saw my dad helping my grandpa onto a wheelchair, I watched as he was moved slowly onto the Hospital entrance.  I didn't know that would be the last time I saw him.  I always remember that moment, I remember my dad pushing the wheelchair, I remember my grandfather's face looking at me, and I think that with his expression he was in some way, saying goodbye.  Goodbye grandpa, I thought to myself and that in fact would have been the last time I saw him alive.  My hero, my teacher, my fellow soldier, my true friend, my story-teller, the man that cared for me and loved me as no other person ever will, my grandpa.  Grandpa, wherever you are, this one's for you, not a day passes without me thinking of you and those great moments we shared.  I hope, if it is possible that someday we will see each other again and that we can relive those days.  You were, are and always will be my "Abuelito".