On my way home tonight, with my windows down, I thought of a story I wanted to share with you guys.
But you need a little background.
1) I grew up in Eastern Kentucky. Thus my grandparents are known as Mamaw and Papaw.
2) Did you know I grew up in Eastern Kentucky? Yeah, when I’m in trouble, I’m called by my first and middle name.
3) Eastern Kentucky? Not the best area for the engineering of parking lots.
Okay, so it was about 10 years ago. I was home from college for the weekend. My mom and I were leaving the mall. I was driving.
I was sitting at a stop sign. Incoming traffic does not stop. There is a sign that says, “Incoming Traffice Does Not Stop.” But here came this red Buick to the intersection. And it stopped. Where incoming traffic does not stop.
My response? “Come on, Papaw! Let’s go!”
My Mom: “Krissie Ann! That is YOUR Papaw! They just got a new car!”
So we had to turn around, follow them into the mall parking lot, and find them in Walmart to tell my grandparents the story. We’ve laughed about that so many times since then.
Oh yeah, 4) In Eastern Kentucky, there is a WalMart in the mall.
He’s been gone for 4 months. My family isn’t any closer to normal than they were that day. I guess we’ll figure out what normal is someday.
I miss you, Papaw. I love you.
I am normally just a stalker and not a commenter. Thanks for sharing your struggles with not just weight but everything else. My husband is from eastern Kentucky so I’m learning all your weird ways :) and he too called his grandfathers papaw. That was a really cute story and I love the picture of him with the kids in the back. I know you must miss him terribly.
As a fellow-native of the EKY I am so tempted to ask where your from and who your people are. How about Paintsville? Does Paintsville ring a bell? I’m in freakin San Diego now and there are so few people who understand…but I enjoy your blog so thank you. I think I saw something about Woodsongs in a post I haven’t read yet–in downtown Lexington? At the KY Theater where they sell beer for concessions at movies and where I always dreamed I’d stand on the stage with my guitar? Yeah, home is home.
I grew up on 23! Not too far outside of Ashland in a tiny town called Wurtland. Of course Paintsville rings a bell! What in the world are you doing in San Diego?
And, yes, we go to Woodsongs at the beautiful Kentucky Theater almost every week. We’ve lived in/around Lexington since 2000. And they now sell wine at concessions too! You should check out the podcasts on iTunes. The shows are consistently amazing.
Thanks for saying hi! Keep coming back and I’ll give you a daily dose of Kentucky!
Ah the memories…I got my first speeding ticket on 23 around Catlettsburg, going home for Thanksgiving with my not-yet husband and doing, oh-so-many miles over the speed limit (accidentally) on a nice 4-lane (my husband makes fun of me when I talk about “the four lane”) straight stretch that was recommended 35 mph, huh, huh…
How hilarious–I probably even saw you before in Lexington; I lived in Berea for 5 (6?) years and Lexington for 2. In my other life (before San Diego, where we’ve only been for about a year and a half) I was a “teacher” of “children” in Fayette County, where I nearly died from the profession. In San Diego I am learning Chinese Medicine, primarily acupuncture, and making my family very nervous because of all the scary things that can happen out here: earthquakes, fires, shark attacks, and exploding hotels, and that was just last year…
Thanks for responding–it took me a few days to remember to check back, but I’m glad I did :)