CRAZY LIKE A FOX

 

FEBRUARY 11^th, 2012

CRAZY LIKE A FOX

My grandfather, Carl, was an interesting man. I don’t think too many people would

Argue with me if I said he was a little bit mean and ornery. But he liked me.

He played sandlot football-middle linebacker-until he was 50 years old. At 23, he

Was offered a professional baseball contract to play for the New York Giants. He

Turned it down to marry my grandmother, Ruth. There wasn’t a lot of money in

Professional sports in those days.

My main memories of my grandfather, Carl, was when he was an older man and

Lived with us.

He used to sit in the red swivel chair in our living room and swat everyone with his cane.

In fact, my mother had 2 brothers, each with three kids. One set of kids he would swat

With his cane. The other set he would let go by.

My mom and dad both worked. When they would go to bed, he would turn all the lights

On and off and make as much noise as he could. There were a couple of times that I

Thought my father was going to kill him. In fact, he became so difficult my parents

Tried to put him in the Little Sisters of the Poor. But when dad took him on the Interview, he wouldn’t open his eyes. The nuns said he would be too difficult for

Them. And then, on the way home, he shoplifted two packages of razor blades.

I really thought dad would kill him that time.

My grandfather never went out alone. After he died, we found out that after we all

Went to work and school, he went to the Garden theater. The Garden theater was an

x-rated pornographic theater.

For all his nastiness, I will always love my grandfather. He is probably the reason I am

Alive today. When I was 22, and was given 0% chance to live, my grandfather prayed

That God would take him instead of me. The day that I left Saint John’s hospital, my

Grandfather took a stroke and went into Saint John’s hospital. He died two weeks later.

I never saw him alive again.

I can’t tell you how many times that I have thought of him over the past 30 years.

I love you granddad.

Respectfully,

Robert P. Wallman

6-24-07

Today is the feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes---a day of miracles. Though I have always been ill---I know it was a miracle that I walked out of Saint John’s hospital---

This day in 1977.

My grandfather prayed that God would take him instead of me.

On February 26^th, 1977, God did.

February 11^th, 2020=will be the 43^rd ANNIVERSARY of MY MIRACLE

Robert P. Wallman

2-9-10