you bring some music because its going to be a long drive out into the desert to see her.
Luckily the talk of Japan stirs a memmory in my grandma and she pulls out (with some effort)
a postcard I sent her from Japan 5 years prior. In it I speak of my Grandfather who was
a translator of Japanese and at one point Senior Allied translator for Fukuoka, Japan and even
Despite being the matron of the family and I rarely see her because she lives so far
Now though since I was in San Bernadino for the time being I figured it would
be a perfect time to come and see her. She lives less than an hour away.
The drive down remined me how much this part of California, the Inland
Empire reminds me of Palestine. The hills and visibility are oddly comparable.
The fact that many hills are dotted with large crosses makes this seem even
Now though since I was in San Bernadino for the time being I figured it would
be a perfect time to come and see her. She lives less than an hour away.
The drive down remined me how much this part of California, the Inland
Empire reminds me of Palestine. The hills and visibility are oddly comparable.
The fact that many hills are dotted with large crosses makes this seem even
more like the biblical land of Jesus.
I finally arrive at her retirement community and sign-in. Soon I open the door to her apartament. I try on Grandpa's cowboy hat. The day it finally fit me filled me with pride.
Then I call out to her and she is thrilled to see me and we discussed my summer plans as I gave her a copy of one of my recent articles and I got out a map to show her where I was going.
In true grandmother fashion not one mention of danger escaped her lips though she must be thinking it. She just tells me how great of an adventure I was going to have.
I will be staying two days in Athens and this reminded my Grandmother of when she had been to Athens in April 1967 when the Coup happended. My Grandmother and Grandfather both traveled extensively later in life. Even my mind wasn't sharp enough to remember the year that she plucked out of thin air. For a momment her perenial smile disappeared as she recalled being frightended as men with guns stoped and searched buses and the ghost-town
like feel the city of Plate and Scorates held that spring of 1967.
I'm jealous of her. I've never been in coup, the closest I got was visiting Thailand
a few months after they overthrew the cruel rule of Prime Minister Thaksin who
I'm jealous of her. I've never been in coup, the closest I got was visiting Thailand
a few months after they overthrew the cruel rule of Prime Minister Thaksin who
is now on the lamb causing mischief with a Nicarguan passport.
After lunch I took my Grandmother to the bank. This simple routine left her visibly retired
so we returned to her house. I help myself to a tiny can of apple juice and pick up a few Japanese antiques. This is a big mistake as she suddenly tries to get me to label the antiques I want after she passes. Like I always I brush this aside.
After lunch I took my Grandmother to the bank. This simple routine left her visibly retired
so we returned to her house. I help myself to a tiny can of apple juice and pick up a few Japanese antiques. This is a big mistake as she suddenly tries to get me to label the antiques I want after she passes. Like I always I brush this aside.
Luckily the talk of Japan stirs a memmory in my grandma and she pulls out (with some effort)
a postcard I sent her from Japan 5 years prior. In it I speak of my Grandfather who was
a translator of Japanese and at one point Senior Allied translator for Fukuoka, Japan and even
exchanged salutes with Gen. Dougals MacArthur, a childhood hero of mine for his role in the liberation of the Philippines.
On my way home I pass by the national cemetary where my Grandfather is buried. Instinctually I turn off the highway and pay a visit to his grave before turning home.
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