Today, September 27, is Ancestor Appreciation Day. I thought I'd take this opportunity to pay tribute to one of my very near and dear ancestors, my Papa, Roy Green.
Papa was the gentlest and sweetest man I have ever known. I spent long hours with him every day when I was a young married mother of two. Auntie and Mother worked, leaving Papa alone at the house. That gave me the opportunity to spend my day listening to his stories, cooking lunch for him, and enjoying hanging out with a true gentleman.
When I was a brownie scout, Papa took me to a couple of Daddy Daughter Dinners when my own dad was not available. I would spend hours decorating a shoebox in preparation for the "boxed dinner" which would be lovingly packed for the two of us. He picked me up, fussed over the tacky, crepe-paper decorations, and repeatedly assured me that the half-burned fried chicken was the best he ever ate.
Later, when I had married, Papa took me to Charley Pool Ball, a real pool hall, to buy Harvey a pool cue. I was really impressed watching my Papa stroll confidently up to the pool cue display, pick out just the right stick, sight it, and roll it on the pool table to check it. He took several tries before declaring the perfect one for a gift for Harvey. I was so shocked. It never occurred to me that Papa knew anything about playing pool.
One of our favorite things to do was to take a drive. We almost always ended up at the cemetery driving past some of our favorite monument stones. There was "Mr. Toombs", "Exum", and the famous Gypsy king and queen. Papa called the cemetery the "silent city".
He was a die-hard democrat and avid debator of politics. He read the paper every day and loved to discuss the finer points of the day's opinions. He loved his family.
Papa told me my first "dirty joke"...
He was really a great guy.
3 comments:
I am sad I didnt know those who went before me. Papa sounds like someone Sean would really like. I guess this is the beauty of the plan of salvation, that we will be able to meet these great people in the next life.
I only knew Papa for a short time before he passed, but I was always so impressed with the devoted care than Granny and Auntie gave him...and he was always very appreciative.
Thank you, Laura, for rounding out my memories of this good man.
Now this is a holiday that I can get behind. I love hearing old stories about my ancestors. I know that Papa was a very beloved member of the family. I have heard everyone speak so highly of him. I'm sure he is very proud of his posterity.
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