nonfriction+writtings

Other Half

March 30th 1994 I was placed in my grandmothers’ arms as she looked down at me, she whispered but loud enough for everyone to hear, “Betsy.” Stern, honest, trustworthy and pleasant all qualities my grandma and I share. How is it with fifty three years apart be so alike? Memorable? Indeed, today the only thing I have of my grandma is pictures and memories. Finding that one special and gifted person who by just their presence could patch up the missing gap many hold in their hearts. I was gifted with my guardian angle the day I exited my mothers’ womb.

Closet memory I have with her wouldn’t be just one it’s all of them. Ever since I was a little I would always shower, be covered in baby oil, placed in my little night gown, and plop down in front of her rocking chair while she place colorful curlers in my hair till not one strand was left dangling and wrap a bandana securing my hair and spend the rest of the night consuming Pepsi floats and watching CSI. This grew to become a tradition although as I grew older the pajama style seemed to change my hair seemed to get shorter and instead of sitting on the floor I lounged in my own rocking chair right next to hers both held our mugs with our Pepsi floats and watched our CSI. Once I was able to realize what was actually going on me and my grandma would guess whom the big mastermind. It ended up her getting it right and me just enjoying my ice-cream

The most frustrating thing about her thou was I could never stay mad at her I tried but in the end it never worked. For instance, for couple years I lived in Farmington, NM reasons because my grandpa was a professor at the college he grew ill and as the cancer spread we moved back to Sioux falls while my grandma decided to stay with him my dad said I could to but my grandma agued his response. When she finally returned I wouldn’t go near her or want anything to do with her for a couple weeks. After my little tantrum we were two peas in a pod once again.

The hardest thing I have to deal with was her passing the first of June 2011, the morning was foggy I was rudely awaken by the obnoxious ringer on my phone to hear my older sister telling me to get my sisters out into the living room, she told me paramedics are trying to revive her, I thought that she was going to make it but what she didn’t tell me was she didn’t make it. So as I was told I got my sisters out of bed just in time I seen my grandmas van pull into the drive way but Amber was driving it. She gets inside and sets me down and in exact words she told us, “Grandma is dead.”

Dramatic, devastating, depressing no matter what my grandma and I have been joined at the hip all my life; she’s my best friend, guardian angel, my whole world. And even though I can’t physically touch her or see her I always here the lyrics by Lonestar, //I'malready there Take a look around I'm the sunshine in your hair I'm the shadow on the ground I'm the whisper in the wind I'm your imaginary friend And I know, I'm in your prayers Oh I'm already there. My grandma is the one I will// most remember the most unforgettable human being as well a friend forever R.I.P.