Even though I just posted a few hours ago, I wanted to take a few moments to remember a really special guy. Today would have marked the 90th birthday of my Grampa, Joseph Kuzmiak. Gramp was a colorful guy, famous for many things, including but not limited to: his bone-crushing handshake, his affinity for crossword puzzles, his cardboard cuttery, his taste for ribs (which we were able to gauge his enjoyment in, based on how much sauce he managed to get on his face), his love for a good football game, his culinary prowess as a short-order cook, his role as caretaker and feeder of birds in his backyard and of course, his various catchphrases. Here are a few of his greatest hits:
"Get a job."
"Get two jobs."
"Get some means of employment."
"Tree blocks down."
"YEAH??"
Yes, dear."
He had many more, all to go with a singing voice like an angel (well, at least one who served as an MP in World War II and later worked as an auto mechanic in New Jersey). He was a great guy and he sure loved the heck out of his family, especially his grandchildren. I still remember seeing him at my very first college game almost five years ago to the day. Gramps passed away four years ago last May, but we still pull out one of his immortal sayings at least once a day around the house. I could go on and on about him but I do have to get going to practice now. More to come soon. Happy birthday, Grampa. I'm off to work, just like you always told us.
T-anks, ya monk! Lovely piece on Gramps. We won't go into the names he called his precious kids (grand and otherwise).. :o)
ReplyDeleteGramps, you are no doubt goosing butterflies up in heaven - when you're not waiting hand-and-foot on your girl, Jan-ya ... Thanks for all the help you gave us around the house through the years, although those front storm doors we installed 20 years ago was a real hack job - done by 2 guys who were too stupid to realize that the job was way over their heads. Well, Gramps, the doors were changed by a real pro last week - you'd be most impressed with his carpentry talents - although no one could ever replace you. R.I.P., Old Man ....
ReplyDeleteYour irreverant Son-in-Law
Must've been something about those Kuzmiak Brothers; Grandpa's (Ted's) sayings still come out daily in our house, too. This was troublesome when my sister and I went to college. No one got it. "Busier than a one-armed paper hanger!" "Keep it in your sneaker!" Or his favorite, usually to my Mom: "We're heavy on smart ---- around here." And oh-so-many more colorful ones... They were quite the men, now weren't they?
ReplyDeleteAnd, of course, very nice piece. [Would never want to go on the books as calling something you wrote 'beautiful'. But, *ahem*.]