My 'ROLE MODEL'

  

role model
n.
A person who serves as a model in a particular behavioral or social role for another person to emulate.

Growing up, I was like any other little boy. I admired and emulated my favorite baseball players, rock n' roll singers, and other "stars." But, the person who I always looked up to, respected, and wanted to be like was my grandfather. It was 19 years ago today that he passed away, that day still stands as the toughest and saddest day of my life.

It's really hard to believe that NINETEEN years have passed since he left us, and yet not ONE day has gone by where I did not have him in my thoughts. He was a strong individual, with a magnetic personality, a tremendous sense of humor.....a kind and generous man who would do anything at all for you. I miss him today and every day.

there are so many memories and so many things we did together. What I remember most are the Saturday mornings we spent together. My parents worked Saturdays and would drop my brother, sister, and I at my grandparents house for the day. We would always have our morning bagels while Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole, and some of the other greats played on the radio. We were too young to appreciate that great music and would always talk my grandparents in to putting on the "rock" station. I remember the sound of that old percolator coffee pot brewing on the counter, the smell of the coffee, and the sound of the laughs and chats we would always have at breakfast.

After breakfast, my Grandmother would be working in the kitchen while my Grandfather would watch cartoons with us. He was like a big kid. He would laugh so hard at The Smurfs, The Flintstones, Scooby Doo, and all the other cartoons. After cartoons, I would always go outside eor in the garage with my Grandfather while my sister and brother did things around the house with our Grandmother. My Grandpa and I would bond and do yardwork, work on the car, and do stuff in the garage.

Later in the afternoon, my Grandpa and I would drop my siblings and my Grandmother off at the stores to meet up with my mom. I would continue the day with Grandpa. He had friends in every store in town. We would make our rounds to Italian butcher shops, hardware stores, gas stations, and many other stops where everyone knew and loved him. We would talk about times when he was younger, talk baseball, talk about how I was doing in school and a ton of oher things. I looked so forward to those Saturdays and really missed them when he passed.

It was April 5th, 1987 when he passed. I remember the time leading up to it and the time right after he passed. It was like my life stood still. Each time I would go to visit him in the hospital in his final weeks, the song "Don't Dream It's Over" by Crowded House would be on the radio. It was a really popular song at that time. Each time I hear that song I think of him and that time period. Last year I mentioned that to my mom, how that song always reminds me of him and that time period. She told me it was strange that I mentioned that song because she was with him when he passed and that particular song was on the radio in the hospital when he passed away. A sign? Perhaps.

I could not find the original "Don't Dream It's Over" video, so I will leave you with the remake in memory of this day.......

DON'T DREAM IT'S OVER (Sixpence None The Richer)