2014-09-27

Callous Hands: A Childhood Memory




 
'Callous Hands'
MPK
2014
From the upcoming album:
 Two Roads Chosen (2014-10)


 As a eager 11 year old in the backseat of my Grandfathers 1972 Nova, I rode as a backseat passenger behind my mother as the driver and my Grandmother; I was the only other passenger.
It is the summer of 1978, I had moved away to Grand Island and, time with my Grandparents is scarce.
It was a day trip to Oteslic, NY to visit my Grandfathers sister Eleanor; I was happy to be included in the days event.
Mom drove through North Pitcher, NY as we passed a general store with many brand signs displayed on the front of the building.
There was a large window in front of the store with a older gentleman sitting in front of the window looking outward toward the sparse traffic that traveled by.
My Grandmother (61 years) sitting in the front seat of the car spoke out that she knew of him before she married her husband in 1936.
This gentleman in the window had asked to court her years before, he had asked her to "hold his hand", my grandmother indicated that she did hold his callous hands.
She explained that she declined any further involvement because she had started going out with my Grandfather.

  It was a quick moment in 1978, a display of a old man sitting behind a window and a mildly anxious statement from my Grandmother that was quickly stated with some type of suppressed laughter to allow the statement to be heard by us.
It was 40 years later, my Grandfather was at home, he didn't feel like traveling to South Otselic today,
my Grandmother was in the car, she saw someone from a time ago along the way.