More talks with my Grandfather (repost)

"cazzyodo" (cazzyodo)
06/14/2014 at 14:11 • Filed to: nostalgia, TWMG

I went to visit my grandparents today and got into a fun conversation with my grandfather. He reminisced a bit and bounced between stories while I sat and soaked in how awesome he is...it was wonderful.

I tried to convince him that he needed to type up his stories so I could share them with the community but he was under the impression that nobody wanted to hear what he has to say. That's when I got his iPad (best Christmas present we could have ever bought him, he loves it) so I could show him !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and Montegoman wanting more.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Just talking about his glory days made him want to look up his old Mercury. Montegoman, it was a 1951 white sedan bought new for $1900...roughly $20,000 now. I told him I would buy it in a heartbeat and he said he would, too. At almost 86 years old I haven't seen his eyes so alive. We couldn't find a white Mercury but this was almost his vehicle back then.

I am going to try and record our conversations from now on, maybe take some video interviews, so that I can type up his stories and make a series out of it. I believe he is a lot more interesting than he thinks he is and I can't wait to find out.

One short story...he had an Oldsmobile after his Mercury. After he got married he brought my grandmother out to teach her how to drive as she did not have a license. After some lessons he jumped out of the car and said for her to slide over and he would walk around to the drivers side and go home. As he got out, she locked the door with a smile on her face and-

"I STOLE IT!"

My grandmother interrupted the story with that exclamation...huge smile on her face. She drove away, leaving him there trying to figure out what was going on. He has no idea where she drove and I honestly don't think my grandmother can remember but apparently she was gone for more than a few minutes.

Let me know how interested you guys are and I will try and pursue more stories for you.

DISCUSSION (10)

desertdog5051 > cazzyodo
06/13/2014 at 21:17

Those memories and conversations are great now. Wait longer and you will be glad you recorded this, for not only your family, but other folks who will come along. I wish I had done that myself a long time ago.

Do it.

Soloburrito > cazzyodo
06/13/2014 at 21:27

One of my cousins recorded some conversations with my grandpa before he passed.

Nothing quite fills your heart like old family stories.

A3R0 > cazzyodo
06/13/2014 at 21:28

How interested? VERY.

I love old interesting stuff like this!

cazzyodo > A3R0
06/13/2014 at 21:31

well hes 85 years old and was a truck driver for a long time. I'm sure there are real gems

A3R0 > cazzyodo
06/13/2014 at 21:33

Every person over the age of 55 has hours of fantastic stories to tell.

sdwarf36 > cazzyodo
06/13/2014 at 23:04

Cazzy-great idea. Its great that you can do it while they are still alive. My 1st story for Oppo (which I've mentally written just havent yet typed ) is about a late aunt-never married- Buick gal for life. Was still doing long solo trips into her 80's. Her eyes would light up when she would talk about the cars she owned. The same look as my mother talking about her 49 Hudson Hornet.

You all should ask your grandparents about their favorite cars. They were teenagers at one time too.

Ferrero1911 > cazzyodo
06/14/2014 at 04:24

Great story, and I'm sure he has many more. You should definitely record your conversations. I wish I'd had the technology and foresight to do that with my grandfather.

ly2v8-Brian > cazzyodo
06/14/2014 at 14:31

Sounds almost like my Grandparents. My Grandpa had a 1955 BelAir that he would race other guys around town in it in the late 50's. It was mildly modified. It had a LOUD exhaust and he once gunned it through the nice part of town in the middle of the night, then turned around and went the way he came quietly and he saw that he had woken everybody up. People went out in their PJs to see what the hell the racket was.

Another one about Grandpa. While in the Army (early sixties) he was in a convoy going from Lenard Wood to Brainerd MN. He figured out how to force the Jeep he was driving to backfire. So he would do that in every small town they went through until the exhaust completely blew out.

My Grandma meanwhile worked at a bank at a bank and bought herself a 1957 BelAir sport 2door Hardtop. It was bright red with a white roof. After she said that I said, "Was it fast?" She quietly replied, "Brian, there were no speed limits back then."

Tony Dickson > A3R0
06/14/2014 at 20:14

So I have 2 years to come up with some good stories...

cazzyodo > ly2v8-Brian
06/15/2014 at 00:45

I cant remember the details but my grand father blew through his mercury in a year. Strsight exhaust so loud that his neighbors hated him when he headed for work at 7am. He apparently busted the transmissions day when he didnt revmatch on a dry shift...replaced the transmission and eventually sold it. He did more with it but I cant recall.

Love it