It was announced last night that I was going to be a grand father! Oh, boy! Now I can revert back to my childhood and play all those games again. I can pull out the Lego blocks and begin to build castles. It is also my chance to pass down the stories of my family line. To teach a young and eager mind on what there is to learn in life. It’s an awesome responsibility and I am just the man to do it. But what should I be called? Here are my thoughts:
- Papa
- Pappy
- Grandpa
- Le Grande Pepe of Pew
- Gumpy
- His Royal Highness King Edward of Norman
- Grand PooPah
- Master Gramps
I personally think #6 is quite in order. My grandfather was a captain in General George S. Patton’s army. He sent me letters when I was young and addressed it to Master Edward Greenlee. It’s a military thing I am sure, but it was so unusual that it sticks with me today. They would feed me Popsicles to see how many I could consume. I received my very first battery operated monster “King Kong” and rode an inflatable alligator at the officers’ club pool. My other grandparents were farmers and I spent my time digging for gold and silver on their farm, riding tree limbs like dragons and camels. I loved my childhood and the imagination it brought me. Somewhere along the line adulthood and the accounting industry tried to destroy that imagination, but neither succeeded.
Now I’ve been practicing being a grandfather for some time. I practice with my wife on how silly I can be with my voice, facial expressions and dancing. She’s tired of it and I think she placed a spell on her son to produce an heir. I am going to be as silly as a man can be making sure my grandchild is well adjusted at smiling, laughing, being outrageously silly, and to be self entertaining. Now my son and daughter-in-law might banish me from their court but that’s when I’ll lay siege for my right to lovingly spoil and corrupt my lineage. It’s my birthright!
So here’s your shot readers, what other loving name have you heard a grandfather called and what are your favorite memories of grandparents?
