I lived quite the sheltered life when I was a young child. I remember being loved and made to feel special. Life was magical and wonderful. Truthfully, I don't recall a whole lot from that time. I do remember a gentle, kind lady who stood out. She was my Grandmother. Her name was Marguerite, her affectionate nickname was "Moog".
She had a very difficult life. Her husband (my Grandfather) died when she was 40, leaving her to raise 3 children, one of which was my Father. He only left her a small pension so "Moog" had to find a job. She had never worked so the best she could find was a job scrubbing floors and cleaning at the County Courthouse. It was back breaking and brutal for a very low wage. She was able to raise 3 kids, run a household on a very meagre income. She was a very special lady indeed.
My Dad got married and I unfortunately came kicking and screaming into this world about a year after. We lived right down the street from "Moog". When my parents were busy she was my babysitter. I was allowed the run of her house. It was a fine old house with many nooks and crannies. I could do anything I wanted and do no wrong. She was so proud of her Grandson. As I got older, around five, she would take me shopping. She didn't have a car so we would ride the bus. Oh how I loved the bus. I was enchanted by the change jingling as I dropped it into the fare box. I also was enamored with the "woosh" of the door opening and closing. We would go downtown, shop and have lunch at a small lunch counter. Life was magical.
Then I turned six and life suddenly changed. My Grandmother abruptly moved in with my Aunt, hundreds of miles away. I had no idea why. Unfortunately she had cancer. "Moog" was a heavy smoker. and had developed lung cancer. I went one time with my Dad on the long drive to see her. She was very feeble but so happy to see her Grandson. Little did I know this was the last time I would see her. I was a naive six year old. She passed not long after that. I don't remember much about the funeral. Must be a bad memory. They brought her body back in this area and she was buried at Saint Vincent's Cemetery. It's about 25 minutes from where I live now.
Life goes on no matter who dies. It's the way of the world. I never visited her grave because my parents never did. Then memories are pushed to the back because life is thrown at you like a bowling ball thrown down the lane at the bowling pins.
Fast forward to one month ago. On the suggestion of a tennis partner, we started playing tennis at Saint Vincent College tennis courts. Something clicked in my addled brain, my Grandmother was buried at Saint Vincent's Cemetery. As fate had it, the tennis courts and the cemetery are right beside each other. I decided I needed to find "Moog's" grave. The cemetery is huge with graves going back to the early 1800's. On a day off from work I drove to the Cemetery Office, the nice lady gave me a map and showed me where my Grandmother was buried.
I hopped in my car and drove to the correct section. I parked the car, got out and walked through a couple of rows and there it was. A simple grey flat stone with her name, dates and a cross. I was happy and sad at the same time. Glad to find her final place of resting but sad I didn't know her better and had been all this time before I had come to visit her. It was awkward and comforting. I've never visited someone's grave before, so I didn't know the correct gravesite etiquette. It was comforting being there, near to someone who had so loved me. I reached down and touched her stone several times said a little prayer. If this lady isn't in Heaven, there is no such place. I stayed maybe 10 minutes and it was time to go. Her grave is less than a hundred feet from where I play tennis. The grave overlooks the courts, isn't it ironic.
I am so glad I found her grave. Every time I play tennis there I go for a little visit to see "Moog". I owe her that at least. She is the one person in my life who unconditionally loved me no matter what I said or did. There is a sense of comfort being near where she is at rest. And if anyone deserves to rest in peace, she does.
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