A friend saw my grandparents walking together and said "Awww that is so cute, I don't think I have ever seen your grandparents holding hands before" to which I immediately replied "Awwww, they're not, she's just holding his belt loop so she doesn't fall down!" Enter.....July and Vera. For as long as I have been around, my grandparents have always slept in separate bedrooms, been at each others throats, but been the quintessential loving old couple whenever it counted.
July- Always had a pocket full of quarters and a never ending supply of one liners to bring a smile to any one's face. When I was little, we would spend the night, I would always run straight upstairs and reach in his chest of drawers to play his harmonica; if I think hard enough I can still taste the metal when I would press it to my lips. Always an early riser, he would wake us up at 5 am and walk us across the street to the bakery; I used think he was magic the way he would tear bread and the pigeons would come flocking down to feed at our feet. Growing up, he would never miss a football game, a soccer tournament, choir performance you name it; just being there was never enough either, you could catch him at anytime bragging to a stranger close by that it was his granddaughter or grandson on the field. He is a decorated WWII veteran, but you would never know, because as long as I have known my grandpa, it has never been about him, but everything about his family. I am so happy that not only myself, but that Chey and Robie have been able to share him for as long as we have and when he moves from this life to the next there will be a whole in all of our hearts that no one could ever fill.
Vera- "Oh shut up Julio, you're such a Harvey!" are words that will warm my heart for life; this is how I will always remember my grandma. I know who my mom takes after, because growing up she was always ready with every hair in place when we'd come over; if she was not ready then she was getting ready, penciling her eyebrows in, until she got them tattooed of course! Not your typical gram, she didn't cook much, but can make breakfast potatoes like no other and always had cheese whiz in her pantry which you would never find in Pearl's pantry. I feel like I get my sass and snootiness from her, but always good, because as prim and proper as she was, she would surprise you sometimes. I can remember being in high school and her talking about one of my cousins and she said "Well, I think he's pussy whipped" and I almost passed out from laughing and she said "well, isn't that what they call it???" I can always count on her to catch up on who got the boot from American Idol or who's hookin up with who on Grey's Anatomy. She is one of the strongest females that I have had the pleasure of being influenced by and I love her immensely.
July and Vera- Oh sure, if you pay em' a visit on any given day and you are there long enough you might hear....
Gramp:"In other words mijo, your grandma is a mean person and I can't wait to get home and beat the shit out of her"
Gram: "Oh yesssss, I'm so sure, you're grandpa is such a dreamer!"
but let one of them be sick and they are lost without each other. If we were out to eat and the strolling mariachis play "La Mano de Dios" without fail, my grandpa's eyes would water and when it was over he would lean over and gives my grandma a kiss on the cheek. They may bicker, but at the end of day it is quite apparent that after 68 years of marriage that they are forever in love. These are my grandparents and they are the sweetest thing...........much love, J.R.
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