Skip to main content

Seventeenth Birthday, Funerals and Murder

Little wonder I'm so weird. It's genetic, totally out of my control.

In going through that box of old letters and miscellany from when I was a kid spending summers in the boondocks, I ran across a card sent for my seventeenth birthday from my great-grandmother with also an enclosed letter (the Gran B of my earlier post.)

The card was cool. The letter though is somewhat disturbing now that I look back on it, considering that it was intended as part of wishing me a happy birthday. I loved my Granny Bolian, born in 1894 and this was from 1979 so she was old already, but still.

The message written inside the card, very nice:

"Here's to my dear great grandson with lots of love and the very best of everything for many more birthdays! Have a nice day, from Granny Bolian".

Okay, moving on then to reading the birthday letter tucked inside:

"Hi to all! Hi Douglas! How are you? Hope you are fine. I'm no good as usual, and can't hardly write, just hope you can read this, ha!

"Granny has gone to Tobe Rumfelt's funeral. Well, I'll just tell a few of the happenings. Grandpa Inskeeps, James Burris, Ansel (?) has all passed away since the last of September, and Jerry (?) was murdered Tuesday. I don't know the details about it.

"I will close with lots of love to you all hope to have good news to write next time. Granny is in a hurry to go. Ans(wer) soon.

"From Granny Bolian to you all, have a happy birthday. Hope you can read this."


Happy Birthday to me! Yikes ... is all I can think to say about that.

Comments

  1. Lol. I like how she writes about herself in third person. The deaths and murder sound like an every day mundane occurrence (ha).

    Was the Grandpa she spoke of your grandpa? Because that's sad news on your b-day.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Now that I think about it, my grand and great-grand family, did often talk in third-person when we were kids and I'm sure even though I was 17 Granny was that old to still do that. Not uncommon. And Grandpa Inskeeps I frankly don't know but probably should, certainly must have been a great or even great-great one somewhere down the line, never knew him. Just another one dropping like flies at the time, I suppose.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow..."Happy Birthday" lil Doug is right.

    "The good news is you are just one year away from 18! The bad, news is Jerry was murdered on Tuesday. Have a good one Hon!" :)

    It was actually sweet and cute, and so Grandma'ish. I love me some Grandmas and Grandpas. I had good ones. :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. LOL! That reminds me of my mother in-law. She's known for talking about morbid things, when we are celebrating. When we went over to her house for dinner once, she said Rain, my niece has breast cancer, do you want a slice of pizza? We secretly call her Debbie downer.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yeah, I remember when Tobe Rumfelt died. I remember when Larry Rumfelt (or was it Donald?) was shot in the face by his grandma. Hmmm. Ozarks.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh yeah, I think it was Larry shot ... showed up on the porch too late at night for a visit and (OMG I should remember her name, I know) shot and killed him. I remember as a kid driving a tractor with Larry, and also before he was killed just having gotten married and they had come to visit me and Granny one summer. Yikes indeed.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Bess. Trigger-happy.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

I Think

I think I'm bored blogging. I think I'm done with it. I think what's the point? I think you should check out my blogroll instead. I think they say stuff better anyway.

Betty White "needs to start taking her relationship with God serious." Seriously?

I was one of those grassroots Facebook campaigners responsible for Betty White hosting Saturday Night Live the other night, so for that, let me just say: "You're very welcome!" I thought she was fantastic, better even than I had expected she might be, and by most accounts her coming on the show was a huge success. Except for some, who apparently had more eternal concerns weighing on their minds, precluding enjoying it so much. Like Jose, who while conceding that Betty White is legend "in this day and age of rebels and rockers" (I really don't know what that means, but it seems to be a good thing), is more concerned about her afterlife appearance instead, presumably being so old as she is. A legend, sure ... "However, I think Betty really needs to start taking her relationship with God serious. Betty can't please this new generation, she has nothing to prove to them. Her relationship with the Lord is what she needs to take serious." Well, all...

Why's There Even You and Me? A Personal Diversion

Obama still ba-rocks and McCain still, um ... is a dick. Okay. That's the extent of my political rumination today. Although I may be totally off on both counts, I wouldn't know. I honestly paid zero attention to realpolitik today so I have no clue what might have happened really. I have other more personal and most disconcerting things on my mind. I'm kind of creeped out. I have a stalker ... don't laugh. I really do. I think his name is Mike but I'm not even sure about that. He was probably lying when I asked, whatever the hell it was he said, but that's what I think I remember. I was drunk at the time. Admittedly my fault. I'm an idiot sometimes, no new tale to tell there. I don't recall exactly how I met the guy in the first place - it was a couple of years ago - but I do know that I willingly gave up my address. With directions, no less. Just in case. Damn the hooch. What was I thinking? Anyway, so here's the deal. I had him over a time or two ea...