Grandpa Jim never had what’s called a formal education. He went to country school until his 8th grade graduation.
He was in the Navy during WWII. When he came back home, there were things he couldn’t do.
He told Grandma June not to make him chocolate cake. The cooks on his ship used flour with bugs in it to bake.
They had to make cake chocolate ’cause they couldn’t waste a bit. If they made cake white or yellow, you could see the bugs in it.
He worked hard all his life. He and Grandma raised four kids. He used to chew tobacco. It’s something Grandma now forbids!
He used to drive his truck to town till Grandma threw a fit. He ran it off the road one day into the barrow pit.
I’ll get rid of that old truck,” she said, “One way or another. I know you’re blind in one eye and can’t see from the other.”
Grandma June couldn’t hear and Grandpa Jim couldn’t see. Were the good times over? It seemed that way to me.
Now Grandpa gets to drive just to the dam where we go fishing. Grandma’s thinking ’bout a hearing aid. (Least that’s what we’ve been wishing.)
Those 70ish Girls 