2-13-09...INFLUENCES IN MY LIFE
PEOPLE WHO INFLUENCED MY LIFE
If you think only good things you will be better prepared to face hard times. That is the way I was taught as a child growing up, and that is what I try to focus on now. It has never been an easy task. When the bad things sometimes outweigh the good things I turn to my wonderful memories of childhood when to my young mind everything seemed rosy and perfect. I know, and I guess I knew then, that things are not always perfect and rosy. It was my upbringing and the wonderful people who brought me up that kept me focused on a smile and great love. There were so many people who came into my life and stayed. But there were those also who were there for just fleeting minutes in time who also helped me grow and become what I am today.
There was my first Sunday school teacher who said to me one day, "Clydene live every day as if there was to be no tomorrow". Just those simple words stuck with me and I remember Miss Maude saying them as if it was only yesterday. Then there was my first grade teacher Miss Sallie, who made a different impression on me. One of fairy tales and being scared of the unknown. The old fairy tales were wonderful but not the way Miss Sallie told them. I'll never forget Miss Sallie.
Then there was my 5th. and 6th. grade teacher Miss Pansy. If she had a teachers pet it was me and I loved it. She would set me down and brush and fix my hair and just go on and on about how pretty my curly hair was. Miss Pansy made me feel special so I'll never forget her.
On up in High School was Miss Brasel. She was our class sponsor all through Jr and Sr High and we loved her. Miss Brasel was our English teacher and there was no nonsense about her. She quietly went about her business with a gentle smile and quiet manner. I'll never forget Miss Brasel either.
There are lots of people I'll never forget who helped form my life but today I want to talk about my Great Great Grandpa. He was my Daddies grandpa and he was a strange one. I know he had a name but I just called him Grandpa Lovell and can't remember it. As I said he was different as Grandpas go. He just wandered around here and there and stayed with different family members. Never stayed long any one place then he'd be off again. We would see him coming down the road and there he would be. I never knew much about him. Can't remember my Daddy ever talking about him much so I suspect Daddy didn't really know him well either. He showed up and came in usually about dinner time (noon). Whatever we were eating we shared with him. When Mama put our drinks on the table she would always ask "What do you want to drink" already knowing the procedure. "What'cha' got" was his answer. Mama would name off all his choices, coffee, iced tea, milk, buttermilk kool aid, or water was usually the choices. "I'll take one of each" was always his answer but he'd be miffed if he wasn't asked. He was also miffed if Mama just went ahead and put all the drinks on for him. He wanted to be asked, So he was asked! Told you he was weird! That day he stayed with us, next day he went to Brenda's. Same routine at Brenda's house. If we gave him anything to take along to eat later, no matter what it was he would put it in the pocket of his dirty old flannel coat and give it to Brenda's family. Same went both ways, if they gave him something he would stop back by and give it to us. We knew this but it was just the way it was when Grandpa Lovell was there. I can't remember him ever hugging us or showing affection but it was understood that he loved us and we loved for him to come. Grandpa also had a routine with eating his food. We never had a lot but he wanted one item on his plate at one time. Did not want his food all on his plate to eat together. He would eat meat, potato, bread, veggies, any sides like pickles etc., then he would drink all his drinks one at a time. His coffee was usually not hot when he got to it so it would have to be heated up or he'd be miffed again.
He wore his long johns year around with long sleeved flannel shirts and I never remember seeing him take off that big old flannel coat not even to sleep. He slept on the couch in the front room to the horror of Mama because she got up early and there he would lay all sprawled out and would be miffed again if she woke him. I heard her say many times, "Well thank The Lord he don't move in to stay".
Grandpa was not clean and had no desire to be clean. He smelled bad and you could see the dirt worn in to his skin and under his fingernails. I never saw him take his big lace up boots off. Probably a good thing I'm thinking now. I think feet tend to smell the worst of all.
Grandpa was a short slender man who had always worked but as I understand he never stayed one place very long. He was a wanderer until the day he died. I don't remember anything about him dying, being buried, or if he died and was buried. Just know that one time he was there and we never saw him again. Daddy probably knew what happened but I never asked. I really wish now that I had. Grandpa taught me about mystery and loving every minute of my life no matter what. I'll never forget him and I wish I knew more about him. Maybe someday I will, but if not that is OK. Grandpa Lovell will always be one of the people who made me what I am. It takes all kinds to make the world. Yep!!!
