Ole Pappy
Time to remember My son Josh has been transplanted to North Carolina, leaving his Minnesota roots behind him. But every so often I can tell he likes to stay connected. Recently he and his son Timothy flew to Minnesota for the soul purpose of seeing the two new wonders of the sports world — the new football stadium, US Bank Field and the new baseball park, Target Field. Well, that’s what he said. I kinda believe he also likes to keep his roots going a little and to visit HIS Ole Pappy (me).
Most of us who have gotten older have at least a time or two when we look around and can’t believe how we got to be so old, so fast!
When people start calling you “sir”, and when they get up from their seat on the express train from the Mall of America to Target Field, well, you know you’ve arrived. I remember looking at older guys and wondering how they got that way.
Now, I am that way —old!
Another telltale sign came at the Vikings Stadium as we walked in a “Sea of Purple,” with many other Viking fans and my grandson Timothy kept looking around to see if I was keeping up. Hey, I get it. Watch out for the old guy. I remember when my Grandpa Albert Higgin was in his 90s and he came to me and said, “Hey Byron, I can run.”
I said, “No grandpa, you can’t run.” He backed up, and in slow motion, as if the tape had been slowed down, he ran to me. He smiled and said, “Want to see it again?” Anyway, back to my son and grandson.
They were amazed at how big US Bank Stadium really is. The chance to see a Twins game and a Vikings game in the same weekend was just too much for them to pass up. With all the good times we had together, I’ve got to say, my favorite was at the Viking game, high up in the seats, when Josh put his arm over my seat and suddenly we were close to each other.
It felt good to feel him close again — like when he was a small child. I’ve had some great times in my life. But I can’t say there have been any better than times spent with my family — and especially times with my son and grandchildren.
Josh and I still reminisce about the trip we took to Cooperstown, NY many years ago to watch Kirby Puckett get inducted into the hall of fame. It was just Josh and I — and it’s a time neither of us will ever forget. The older I get, the more I realize being together with family is a good time — probably the BEST of times!
LAUGH A LITTLE: What’s that? There was an elderly couple getting forgetful. The lady told her husband: “Get me a bowl of ice cream.”
She then told him she wanted a bowl of ice cream with whipped cream and a cherry on the top. The husband said, “I can remember: you want a bowl of ice cream with whipped cream and a cherry on the top.” So he goes to get the ice cream and spends an unusually long time in the kitchen, over 30 minutes. He comes out to his wife and hands her a plate of eggs and bacon. The wife stares at the plate for a moment, then looks at her husband and asks, “Where’s the toast?
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: As my Ole Pappy used to say, “It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit.” Ole Pappy had only one goal in his life. He always told me, “If momma ain’t happy, nobody is happy. But if papa ain’t happy — who cares!” I learned at an early age to please momma. Thanks Ole Pappy! Congratulations Bug Day Committee. Despite the rain, you put on a great show and everyone had a good time. It may have “rained on our parade,” but the “parade of life went on anyway.”