To my Grandpa Hal...

In the recent saddened news from my family, I’ve been inspired to share a story with whomever reads these next few paragraphs.

It was probably about 6 or 7 years ago when my mother, father, brother and I were traveling to my grandparents house. Pulling up to the drive way we could hear the subtle barking of my aunts dog. She would always get excited when we visited, not in the good way. As we made our way into the house, my grandma was front and center ready to greet us all with large hugs and warming kiss. My aunt would follow suit with the ever popular line, “Oh my goodness you two [my brother and I] are getting so big.”

Lastly, but not least was my grandfather. 98% of the time he would be sitting on the couch, radio or newspaper in arms reach, hunched over in a sweater and sweatpants. God wasn’t the only one who knew he loved those sweatpants. We all knew; he made sure of it. After saying our hello’s to grandma and our aunt we’d go shake grandpa’s hand and say hello. He’d always look at us with the biggest eyes like we has just made his day.

I’ll never forget the way he would great my brother and I. “Oh my boys! Here are my boys!”

On this day in particular we sat next to grandpa on the couch and talked about school, how we were doing in sports, and of course, the Red Sox. That day was a special day for him. It was his birthday. And as a special treat for him, my mother had gone out and bought him a surprise birthday cake. Problem was, nobody told my grandma it was a surprise. So she comes out cake in hand with the plastic tin still covering the pan. She bent over and showed him the cake, while my dad looks at my grandma with a blank look on his face as if to say “dude!?”

She says to my grandpa, look what Patti and Richie brought you for your Birthday, followed by my mother father explaining that it was a surprise. I’ll never forget what my grandpa said next. He looked up at my grandpa and said, “You ruined it. You ruined my cake surprise!”

We all had a big laugh, including my grandfather who knew all along what he had said. He may have been old but the light bulb was still shining bright.

To this very day I’ll always remember that smile he cracked after filling a room with laughter and good thoughts. And I know when ever we think of him we’ll all be smiling with him over and over again.

To my grandpa Hal, I love you. May we always smile and share happy thoughts when we think of you.

R.I.P. Harold Snyder 1923-2011