I want to write about my Granny because she was so special in my life growing up. I want other people to get an idea about who she was and what kind of person she was. When she died, I missed her very much in my life. I hope you get to know her like I did.
Granny was born May 14, 1893 and she grew up in South Georgia, in a town called Center Georgia. She died August 23, 1971. Her father worked in a black smith shop and made horseshoes for horses. I was told by my mother that Granny’s dad hung a man when he was a sheriff. She had 12 brothers and sisters. She had 3 boys and 6 girls, including my mother.
Granny had black and gray long hair. I remember how she put her hair in a ball because her hair was so long it went down to her waist. I remember spending nights at her house watching her put her hair up. I always loved watching her put her hair up. She was a short woman and I remember she had lots of veins in her arms. I think I got that from her! She was a dark woman, she was part Cherokee Indian. I didn’t even know that till 2 years ago when my mother told me she was. She knew about remedies for colds and earaches. She used corn oil, heated it up then put it in the ear and the pain went away.
I was about 5 years old when I started spending nights at my Granny’s house. If there was no school I was at Granny’s house. It was hard for people to find me since I was always there. I spent more nights there than at my mother and dad’s house when I was growing up. I remember that before she went to bed, she always read her bible every night. She taught me my first prayer so we always prayed before going to bed. I remember I would go to my Granny’s bed and fake that I was asleep so I could stay at her house, so my mom and dad would let me spend the night. My mom still doesn’t know! I loved spending the night at my Granny’s. The next morning she would make a shopping list that she needed at the store so, I would go to Smith Grocery and give them the list. And she would also give me money to get me some snacks. They would deliver her groceries to her house.
I remember I had not seen or heard my Granny spread rumors, did not talk behind someone’s back. I never saw her as a racist or heard her use a racist name. She was a calm and easygoing person. She loved people and life.
Oh she loved Christmas lights. My dad and mom would pick her up and show her the decorations downtown. I think I got that from her!
Granny never had a telephone; she did not think she needed one. She never had a washing machine or a dryer. She always washed her clothes by hand. I remember she always made her clothes with a sewing machine and only wore dresses she had made. Her sewing machine must be 150 years old. It was her mother’s and it became hers when her mother died. It was made of iron and it had a door that closed the sewing machine so you couldn’t see it. When my Granny died, it ended up at my mom’s house.
When I was 6 years old and I was in the first grade in school, I had my picture taken at school. I was wearing a red and white shirt with stripes on it. My Granny loved that picture of me.
My Granny was so special to me. She taught me how to love people and how to pray at night before going to bed. She taught me if you don’t have any good things to say about a person don’t say it at all. She also says a friend is special but if that friend is bad to you who needs enemies. She says treat people as you would like to be treated.
My granny did not get to see me grow up. She died when I was 13 years old. I think of her every day of my life. Till this day I still miss her. I still think I am her little boy. She was taken away from me too early in my life. She had a good heart and soul.
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