Erma Bombeck Writing Competition - Winners
2002
Erma Bombeck Writing Competition
3rd Place - Dayton Category
Gary Easterling
Huber Heights, Ohio
"The Power Goodbye"
| ByebyeSeeyoulaterIloveyou... clatter clunk clunk... I envision tiny feet running from the dangling phone to the next joy awaiting my 30 month-old granddaughter. Since the reserve call-up of my son-in-law and the resultant relocation of Gabby, my granddaughter, to Colorado this grandpa has learned to experience the Power Goodbye. Unavailable to me are the large dark eyes, short pigtails, and crooked smile luring grandpa to his hands and knees to play blocks, hold baby drowsy, or play fall down and giggle. In its place are still photos and the "Gabby movie", a collection of video shorts that increase the emptiness rather than fill it. I call their house, forgetting the time difference, always glad to speak to my daughter or son-in-law, but a little saddened when I hear the words naptime or she's gone to bed. How can this little package of energy, excitement and enthusiasm, separated by 1600 miles, have such an effect on a grown man? Even when I call back, and I always do, and she is awake, I have to listen quickly, for the duration of our conversation is uncertain in length, but certain to be brief. The always expected and ever appreciated greeting of "Hello Papa Gary", is followed with a "How are you?" or a "What are you doing?". I hurriedly struggle to think of something captivating to say, to keep her focus on me, to keep her thoughts and most of all that wonderful voice talking just a little longer. Just as I think of the perfect phrase, the can't lose conversation point, THE question that will cause her to ramble on for 15 or 20 seconds so I can listen and enjoy the sweetest sound known to Papa Gary, I receive the coup de grace of our conversation, the fait accompli, the end, it's over, kaput! The Power Goodbye is echoing in my ears, the clatter of the phone, the distant cry from my daughter, "Don't hang up on Papa Gary!" Goodbye. See you later. I love you. Three distinct sentences crammed into a single parting breath, then off to adventure and there I sit on the wrong end of a long-distance life line, holding onto a memory and a moment, closing my eyes to capture the dancing eyes and bouncing pigtails being carried away to the world of a 2 year old, while I find new meaning in the Bible's words, "Life is like a vapor". But like the promise of the resurrection, I have hope! Combining the attention span of a 2 year old, the perseverance of a 50 year old and the speed redial on my cell phone I can experience the Power Goodbye again in just a few minutes! |