Crazy Eights and Sun Screen

So, yesterday, I spent the day with my Grandfather, his wife, my mother, and my fiance in Winston-Salem. My grandfather is having surgery this coming week, opening night for "Pirates of Penzance", actually, and I wanted to spend some time with him. Not that I think anything bad is going to happen, but better safe than sorry, besides it's just nice to spend time with him. When I was a child I spent a lot of time with my grandparents, and my grandfather in particular taught me very much. I hold him responsible for my affinity towards the natural world. He taught me much about plants and animals, insects and what not. He was also one of the only members of my family who didn't give me a hard time when I stopped going to church, which means a lot to me still.

Yesterday, when we arrived at the hotel he was staying at, I found him and my mother outside at the pool. It was strange seeing my grandpa in swim trunks. I had brought some shorts to swim, so I changed and he got some sun block out of his car. After lathering it on we got in the pool, he, my mother and I. Vicki, my fiance, neglected to bring anything to swim in, much to my mother's disappointment. We swam for about two hours and it was a lot of fun. Brought back some memories of family vacations. Afterward, we decided to go eat. Mexican food. My mothers constant fall back when no one else wants to make the decision. It was good food. My grandpa got a giant plate of sizzling fajitas and I couldn't help but laugh when he mispronounced it.

When we went back to the hotel we spent the next three and half hours playing cards. We started with Crazy Eights. Now, I hadn't played crazy eights since I was...probably around 8 years old, ironically enough. I seem to recall it being more complicated than it actually is, but after a brief refresher we played a number of hands. It was genuinely fun playing cards with my grandpa. I had forgotten, somehow, how funny he is. After playing for a while I began to think that I probably got some of my comedic senses from him. After one hand of crazy eights lasted about thirty minutes we decided to play Rummy. Another game I had no recollection of how to play. Again, we had a refresher and started playing. It was a lot of fun.

I've never been one who follows the philosophy of blood being thicker than water. I've always felt that we really choose who our families are. That being said, my grandfather means the world to me. He has had such a profound impact on my life and I really feel that I wouldn't be half the man I am if it wasn't for him.