As mentioned in passing above, my grandpa spent his most of his career in the Navy. That’s how he met my nana, actually. They were at a party in Halifax, Nova Scotia where my nana is from. Grandpa was an American Navy cadet at the time. Nana was a Canadian college student at a time when women were just starting to pursue post-secondary education. He asked her to dance. They married three weeks later.
During his time in the Navy, my grandpa went all over the world. According to my mom, he was even part of the naval teams that picked up astronauts in the middle of the ocean and welcomed them back to Earth. First of all, I didn’t know that was a job you could have. Second, what was the first thing he would say to the astronauts? And what was the first thing they would say back? What I wouldn’t do to crack open a couple bottles of Modelo with him and hear more about these experiences.
So, if there’s one thing I want to convey from this, it’s that I hope you take your grandkids out for a walk and tell them your stories. They may not seem interested now but I promise, one day they will be.
