Hey All, I spent a great deal of time at an early age at my mother's parents house. This was mostly for my own safety....................to seperate me from the oldest...........the Beast. I would spend a weekend and go to work with my grandfather or help him around the house. It was from his influence, that I chose my profession.
August 1974. Grandpop was a plumber by trade and I loved being around him. He was one of the first adults I had come to trust................he never said mean things or raised his hand to hurt me or anyone. He was firm in his convictions, but, you knew he loved you, even with correction and would always let you know it...................something that was almost foreign in my life and that I craved deeply.
The shop that Grandpop worked at for years, Hicks Brothers was closing up................Grandpop and the secretary were the last employees for a few years. Mr Hicks kept it open until Grandpop was able to retire. I was asked if I would like a job until school started........................working on Grandpops last job and cleaning out the shop of stored materials and finally sweeping it clean. I jumped at the chance to go to work with Grandpop...............it would be one of the last opportunities. I believe that I was the only one of his many Grandchildren that ever had gone to work with him.
I loved that month..............Grandmom would make us a hearty breakfast.............bacon, scrambled eggs, toast, orange juice and coffee................. my addiction to caffeine began. She would pack Grandpop a lunch as she had done for the last forty five years and she packed one one for me too. Then there was supper...........always complete with everything...............it was like eating at a restaurant every night. This was alien to me..........I wasn't accustomed to eating like a king and on a daily basis. I had eaten like this at Thanksgiving and a few times at the Scalfaro household across the street........... Mrs Marie was a great cook too.
The month and my job were coming to a close. I had picked up a little money in my pocket as well as a couple of pounds added to my bones. I was to start the eighth grade at Keith Valley Middle School this September.............but the Beast was restless. Dad was on the road as usual and Mom was.............Mom. The Beast emerged from his bedroom in his usual surly mood....................on the prowl to strike out at whomever he saw or decided he didn't like at that particular moment. I was safely away, so he took up the only other prey available................Tommy. He ended up chasing Tommy all over the house with a hammer................screaming that he was going to kill him. Mom couldn't stop him, so she had to call the Hatboro police department.....................they were finally able to calm the Beast down and get the situation in hand. Only thing was, that the Beast had made a very passionate threat....................... that he would kill me on sight when I returned home. Given his past history of violence.............especially with me.................it was taken very seriously. What started out as a month long visit turned out to be year.....................I attended St. Lukes School in Glenside for the eighth grade.
The Beast had been seen professionally by psychiatrist as teenager and had been prescribed medicine as well..................we didn't have enough money for medicine, food and booze.............so the medicine got cut. Instead of dealing with the Beast.....................they removed me. This decision to keep me safe was offered to me as permanent in my story "Fork in the Road".
The first timeI remember going to work with my Grandfather, I was seven years old..........I cleaned copper fittings with sandpaper.............my little fingers were small enough to fit inside the smaller fittings..............and I felt and was treated like I mattered.............that I belonged.........I was loved.
Thank You Grandpop................I would have been lost............. without you.
Until the next time.................................God Bless.
August 1974. Grandpop was a plumber by trade and I loved being around him. He was one of the first adults I had come to trust................he never said mean things or raised his hand to hurt me or anyone. He was firm in his convictions, but, you knew he loved you, even with correction and would always let you know it...................something that was almost foreign in my life and that I craved deeply.
The shop that Grandpop worked at for years, Hicks Brothers was closing up................Grandpop and the secretary were the last employees for a few years. Mr Hicks kept it open until Grandpop was able to retire. I was asked if I would like a job until school started........................working on Grandpops last job and cleaning out the shop of stored materials and finally sweeping it clean. I jumped at the chance to go to work with Grandpop...............it would be one of the last opportunities. I believe that I was the only one of his many Grandchildren that ever had gone to work with him.
I loved that month..............Grandmom would make us a hearty breakfast.............bacon, scrambled eggs, toast, orange juice and coffee................. my addiction to caffeine began. She would pack Grandpop a lunch as she had done for the last forty five years and she packed one one for me too. Then there was supper...........always complete with everything...............it was like eating at a restaurant every night. This was alien to me..........I wasn't accustomed to eating like a king and on a daily basis. I had eaten like this at Thanksgiving and a few times at the Scalfaro household across the street........... Mrs Marie was a great cook too.
The month and my job were coming to a close. I had picked up a little money in my pocket as well as a couple of pounds added to my bones. I was to start the eighth grade at Keith Valley Middle School this September.............but the Beast was restless. Dad was on the road as usual and Mom was.............Mom. The Beast emerged from his bedroom in his usual surly mood....................on the prowl to strike out at whomever he saw or decided he didn't like at that particular moment. I was safely away, so he took up the only other prey available................Tommy. He ended up chasing Tommy all over the house with a hammer................screaming that he was going to kill him. Mom couldn't stop him, so she had to call the Hatboro police department.....................they were finally able to calm the Beast down and get the situation in hand. Only thing was, that the Beast had made a very passionate threat....................... that he would kill me on sight when I returned home. Given his past history of violence.............especially with me.................it was taken very seriously. What started out as a month long visit turned out to be year.....................I attended St. Lukes School in Glenside for the eighth grade.
The Beast had been seen professionally by psychiatrist as teenager and had been prescribed medicine as well..................we didn't have enough money for medicine, food and booze.............so the medicine got cut. Instead of dealing with the Beast.....................they removed me. This decision to keep me safe was offered to me as permanent in my story "Fork in the Road".
The first timeI remember going to work with my Grandfather, I was seven years old..........I cleaned copper fittings with sandpaper.............my little fingers were small enough to fit inside the smaller fittings..............and I felt and was treated like I mattered.............that I belonged.........I was loved.
Thank You Grandpop................I would have been lost............. without you.
Until the next time.................................God Bless.
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