This picture speaks to me. It's my grandfather and the first home he shared with my grandmother. They took at least three pictures that day. One more has him in it showing the land. The other picture is of their house without either of my grandparents in the picture.
I can almost hear the conversation that went on over this picture. "Denzil, I want to get a picture of you and our new home."
Granddad probably went upstairs without saying a word to change into his suit.
I can picture Grandma getting the camera and taking the picture of the house, sans Granddad. Knowing Grandma, she probably wasn't thrilled that Granddad had just walked up the stairs without a word. Luckily, she had over 60 years to realize that was Granddad's way.
When he came back down the stairs and outside, all dressed up, she probably said, "What are you doing in your suit?" Then I imagine without waiting for a response Grandma told him to stand right here, where he is in this picture.
Possibly after this picture was taken Grandma went to put the camera away. I can hear Granddad say, "Why don't you take one of me right here?" The one where there's nothing but empty land.
I'm sure Grandma thought he'd lost his mind. Why would anyone want to take a picture with nothing in the background. Except for Granddad that was his living in the background. That was how he'd feed his new wife and any children they'd have. I'm sure to him, it made perfect sense. Just as the suit made perfect sense.
If we're going to take a picture of our new pride and joy let's show our pride.
That was Granddad. Excessive talking wasn't his style. He knew what he was thinking and I suspect he thought others knew his thoughts, too. Not always, but looking back on a history of stories and adding my own life experiences with him, I think I could do a better job now than I could when he was still with us.
He liked his peace and his quiet. In later years we used to swear he'd turn his hearing aid down or off when Grandma started talking about something he wasn't interested in listening, too.
In so many ways they were opposites. But they were perfect for each other. Quiet, calm Denzil and talkative, excitable Esther.
Mom took Granddad to the funeral home after Grandma passed on, so he could spend some alone time with his wife. His mind had started wandering by then. But Mom told me that Granddad stood by Grandma's coffin, looking at his wife and tears filled his eyes and ran down his old wrinkled cheeks. Sixty plus years with Grandma and in death she was able to pull his memories back to the present with a clarity that hadn't been there for some time. Part of me wished his memories had stayed cloudy, but one thing Granddad was all about, living his simple life, on his own terms. And to him, grieving was as much a part of life as loving.
As this picture shows, if you're going to do something, do it in style. Your own personal style.
But I can't end here. I have to thank Grandma for being proud enough to label this picture as their first home. Without that added information, it would have been another picture of Granddad and the significance of the picture would have been lost to all of us.
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