Erma Bombeck Writing Competition - Winners
2007
Erma Bombeck Writing Competition
Honorable Mention
Human Interest - Dayton
Christina Cahall
Kettering, Ohio
"My Grandma Tillie"
| Grandma Tillie was tall, well-dressed, with a penchant for big flowery hats. When she hugged me, there lingered a scent of cigarettes, wintergreen, and a dash of "Evening in Paris". Grandma had a bawdy sense of humor and a loving nature. Her name was Matilda but everyone called her "Tillie". Tillie, a widow, never remarried, but she was never without a beau, even into her 80's. Grandma gave us wonderful Christmas gifts. She made sure that we had new Easter outfits and bought us chocolate bunnies for our baskets. We thought that Tillie was rich. Actually, she lived on income from a rental propterty. She rented a room with kitchen privileges and earned extra money by hiring out as a "mother's helper". Tillie also crocheted and sold beautiful afghans. She taught me to crochet, but I've lost the skill. Another of her talents was playing the piano by ear. We'd get a kick, listening to her, banging out the ragtime songs and honkytonk tunes that she loved. Say the word "poker" or "euchre" and there'd be Tillie, shuffling the cards, ready to play. I'd get to sit by her side and watch. She'd let me have a sip of her beer, and hold her coins. Grandma was a crafty, excellent player and seldom lost! When she got older, Grandma lived with my aunt. By then I was married with a family. I saw a lot of her as they lived a short distance away. Occasionally, my husband would get her and bring her to the house to play cards with his friends. They'd be amazed at this "old lady", able to best them at euchre, tell jokes, talk about baseball, and just be one of the guys. She loved it! I have an indelible picture of her, forever etched in my memory--Grandma, sitting at the kitchen table, nylon hose rolled neatly down to her ankles, playing solitaire, sipping Hudepohl beer from a small glass, a cigarette glowing in the ashtray, all the while listening to Waite Hoyt announcing the Reds' game on the radio. The day came when Grandma had to go to a nursing home, too ill to be cared for at home. I would visit her every week. Tillie had her radio and T.V. at her bedside. The Dr. wrote the unusual order that each night she could have an 8 oz glass of beer. Grandma died in her sleep when she was 85 yrs old. Not long ago a child was telling me about his Grandpas. "Well," he said, "the one in cincinnati is Grandpa Jim, but Grandpa Mike is my "Buddy Grandpa". I thought of Tillie. Without a doubt she had been my ""Buddy Grandma"! |