Loretta Sogar

Most people go through life not knowing what it is like to be a Grandson. It is not a title you are granted at birth, and it is certainly not something that everyone experences in life. It is a magical gift that only a few have the ability to truely give.

Going over the river and through the woods was a journey I looked forward to taking. There were always adventures to be had, new songs to sing, places to go and plenty of good food and treats to eat. Grandma’s house was a castle stuffed full of little suprises in every nook and cranny you could find.

The back bedroom was my stronghold for many a sleepover. The sound of the mechanical door opener in the garage under my bedroom marked Grandpa’s departure to work, and the beginning of our day. But first it was breakfast on wax paper before heading out in our own boat with billowed sail. Shopping for strings and sealing wax and other fancy stuff was allways our aim, for upon returning home we expanded our imaginations listening to old records and making all sorts of crafts with the strangest or materials we purchased that day. Oddly enough we made many a treasure at the same table we ate breakfast at, and on the very same wax paper. As each day drew to a close, we went off to dinner with Grandpa at a rather fancy and very nice restaurant. We would get home in time to watch a little television while eating freshly cut apples on the couch, as stating up late was always the norm.

Timberlake was that place by the sea for me, and Grandma was my Magic Dragon. Just like little Jackie Paper, this little boy grew up too. While my life certainly changed, the strong foundations of unconditional love staid with me. As evident with the relationships I am forming with my children, as well as the imaginative playtime and elaborate art projects we embark upon, Grandma will forever be a part of my life.

Moreso than with the passing of any of my other Grandparents, and certainly not just because she was my last surviving Grandparent, this moment marks the point in my life when I will forever cease to be a Grandson. But before this moment passes and you leave for the last time, there is just one thing this little boy wants to make sure of, “OOU GOT U KEYS, OOU GOT U PURSE ANGALL?”

Goodbye Grandma, your forever Grandson.