CRAZY LIKE A FOX

 

February 11^th

 

“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 3 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 I thought

My Father was actually going to kill him.  In fact, he became so difficult my parents

Tried to put him in the Little Sister 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 2 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 Theatre.  The Garden Theatre was an x-rated

Pornographic theatre.

 

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

Am alive today.  When I was 22, and given zero % chance to live, my Grandfather prayed that

God would take him instead of me.  The day I left St. John’s Hospital, my Grandfather took

A stroke and went into St. John’s Hospital.  He died 2 weeks later.  I never saw him alive

Again.

 

I can’t tell you how many times I have thought of him in the last 30 years.  I love you Granddad.

 

Respectfully,

 

Robert P. Wallman

6/24/07

 

 

 

 

Ps        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 I walked    

           Out of Saint John’s Hospital in 1977.  My Grandfather prayed that

           God would take him instead of me.  I think God did.