An Evening Between the Generations

I was fortunate to spend the weekend with my grandparents.  Saturday night I had two solid hours of conversation with my grandparents, no TV, no distractions, 100% generational sharing.

Some of the topics of conversation with my grandfather (who has the beginning of Alzheimer's) that provided great enjoyment:
  • WWII era: Signs in bars in New Orleans saying "No Soldiers Allowed"; the nice lady he had in New Orleans; the great beer transport shenanigans of Panama Canal post; the life of a mechanic on a tugboat; Florida - "The people are nice there"
  • Power tools: Saws are helpful, but dangerous; I'm lucky I jerked my thumb out of the table saw before the blade teeth pulled it in;
Some topics from my Nana:
  • She was best friends with my grandfather's sister.  She needed a cab to get to her new big city job and was wearing a white imitation fur stole.  She got in the cab and my grandfather was driving with her best friend's brother.  They had both been out boozing it up and having good times.  Later he told her that he leaned over to Alvin (his friend) and said, "How'd you like a piece of that."
  • My great grandmother's full name: Minnie May Rogers
Thoughts on a Saturday night, well, I have a lot in common with my grandfather (which is great since I look up to him as the epitome of what to be and how to treat people):
  • Blue eyes
  • Fairly quiet
  • Can take being picked on and dish it out
  • Love those you love to a fault
  • An appreciation for a nice truck, power tool and dog
  • Worry about those you love (I'll try to skip the 4 heart attacks that accompany that)
  • A desire for public service (he was a fire investigator and the Assistant Fire Marshal for the State of Oklahoma)
All around, good evening.  Invaluable really.

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