European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 1, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Be our Guesta sad goodbye to a grandmother with special vision my grandparents were two of the most unintentionally comical couples i have Ever been around. From the crop of old age my grandmother harvested a hearing Aid and a Cane while my Grandfather reaped a speech impediment and a Short attention Span. This was Thrif secret to 50 years of Happy marriage they never argued. They . By the time she understood what he had been trying to say grandpa it explained he forgot what he was talking about. My Grandfather died in 1980, leaving grandma alone for the first time in decades. She fought the Battles of poor health and loneliness brought on by too Many birthdays. Last month the Battle ended. She was 91. Today i am saddled with a tremendous Burden of guilt alongside the fond memories i have of her. Before 1 left for Frankfurt two years ago i sensed her car As i hugged her goodbye. 1 know now what grandma knew that Day she was saying goodbye for the last time. �?o1 am afraid you will never Sec me again a she whimpered. I told her not to be foolish and that id be Back before she knew it. She smiled weakly at the thought As i turned to go. Never before during this tour in Germany have i Felt As far from Home As i did that thursday when my dad called to say grandma was dying. At first i admit being concerned but not Wor Rich. For most of my adult life. Grandma was dying of something or another. Yet somehow she pulled through. The truth was that at 91, she was younger than some folks half her age. When she could no longer drive herself grandma relied on her grandchildren to take her on her errands. The Job had few benefits but afterwards she would entice me into games of Rummy at a Quarter a hand. Grandma was a Lousy card player. In three years of being her chauffeur i probably had enough quarters to buy a new car. Folks like grandmother Are eternal characters. They should t be allowed to die. She simply had to pull through i told myself. This time i overestimated her abilities. Unlike cats grandmothers done to have nine lives. Shortly after dad and mom called me grandmothers health nose dived. Less than a Day Lair she died in the same bed she used to say goodnight me in when i was Young. 1 i doubt my being there would have made any difference for my grandmother. Toward the end. She seemed to be oblivious to the world around her. My sister Jane said my grandma claimed my wife and i visited her earlier that morning. Between the painkillers grandmother was visited by a lot of folks that people around her could t Sec. During that last week Jane walked into grandmothers room expecting to find the worst. Instead she found grandma amiably chatting with the vacant Walls. My sister discovered she had interrupted grandma s a Tea parly with her Mother her husband and other departed friends. As grandma carried on a Long conversation with her Mother Jane Felt awkward and turned to leave. As she heard grandma say a kiss me goodbye Jane Knelt Down kissed her Check and whispered her goodbyes. But grandmother held on to her hand tightly and returned to the a a real world. Quot goodbye Jane Quot she said in a weak but Lucid voice a i am going to miss you very i never got my Chance to say goodbye and Tell her How much i cared about her. Somehow i think she knows. Goodbye grandma. I miss you very much. Paul Batterson is a reporter with the Frankfurt chronicle Send in your column plus a photo of yourself to be our guest sunday Magazine the stars and stripes Apo 09211 or Postrach 11 14 37, d-6100 Darmstadt 11, Germany. From the cover .4-6 screening the nil. Andy Rooney. Reme frering Harry Rea sorter. Books and language.8-9 shaky lawyers in Quot the firm. Quot Odds amp ends .10 Erma Bosheck on the cruelty of conversation. To plus ii game shows running out of network answers. Television listings 12-14 local Cable and satellite schedules. On the tube .15 having a Ball with Carton s Michael Jordan. Home entertainment .16 Quot Home alone Quot no child s play in video profits. Joe Bob Briggs .17 checking out a French lick. This weeks films .18-19 Hack Vlinch Quot regarding Henn Quot Worth it. Complete gaffs circuit listings. Classified ads .20,23 last laugh .24 Dave Bany likes a to tick rend. Sunday is a weekly supplement of the stars and stripes editor Bueky Fox Art direction Peler Jaeger production Lisa Williams editorial assistance Marian Hamilton Louis Pierce from left Aida Linares Annette Bening Harrison Ford and Mikki Allen in regarding Henry. Page 19. Poro mount pictures Francois duh Omal Page 2 a sunday september 1. 1991
