Once upon a time in Mexico…
“I was having some problems with my teeth, and the dentist in T or C (Truth or Consequences, New Mexico) wanted to charge an arm and a leg to have a couple pulled. I thought it was a rip-off. So, I took my truck down to Mexico to see how much it would cost to have them pulled. Turns out those Mexicans are quite reasonable. Now his tools may not have been state-of-the-art, but I got a great deal!”
This is just one of the true-ish, totally-nutso real life accounts that my late grandfather shared. My aptly-named Grandpa Burl was a man larger than life. As a military man, father, grandfather, and husband, he far exceeded everyone’s expectations of love and service. He drove a truck for years which was wonderful for us as kids. Every once and awhile he popped by our California home off of Highway 101 with some sort of quirky treasure, $2 for each of us (which was like a million dollars at the time), and crazy stories such as the one above. All he expected in return was a nice cup of black coffee and conversation.
While these recollections stick out of my Grandpa Burl, the most poignant memory is his love for my grandma. My grandmother is the most long-suffering, patient, and kind woman I’ve ever met. It was my grandpa’s mission in life to test that long-suffering as much as humanly possible. Which I’m certain he did until his last day! In all seriousness, while he drove my grandma absolutely nuts, he made up for his antics with love. Pure love. Real love. His heart may be eternally rested now, but I know that it will forever belong where it should – with my grandma.
This is the second grandparent we’ve lost in a year. My 1-1/2 year old niece, Brooklynn, will forever have my late maternal grandma guiding her from heaven. It is my sincere hope that little Welly will have Grandpa Burl’s guidance throughout his/her life…well, except when it comes to dentistry ;-)
Rest in peace, Grandpa. Your presence may have left us temporarily, but your essence and influence will always remain.
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