Grandpa Terrific

“How are you, Grandpa?”

“Terrific.”

Terrific was his standard response. My grandfather was an enigma, a veteran, a beloved grouch. He was a terrifically unique mixture of a human being.

Olives soaked in gin was his drink of choice. Gin soaked olives.

Terrific.

He was a smoker. He quit.

Terrific.

He was a Flying tiger in WWII. He survived to tell me about it.

Terrific.

My grandmother passed away when I was five. My grandfather loved her. He chose to live as terrific as her could. He got tattoos. He was a regular at the shooting range. He sported chunky, gold jewelry. He adopted a dog, Jilly. He dated. He wrote for the paper. He had friends. He loved Vegas.

My grandfather chased Terrific. He fought for Terrific. He lived.

Gin Olives

Cigarettes

Veteran

Tattoos

Terrific grit

He lived.

Forever Grandpa Terrific

“T” Draft