Papaw Hair --- and Gaaaawleee!



On Saturday before Daddy died, he had just eaten a very good breakfast and enjoyed it.

(Breakfast was always his favorite meal --- on April 22 we left the hospital and all had breakfast at the Cracker Barrel together. It helped.)

The nurses and Terri had cleaned him up a little --- he had had a good night's sleep without much discomfort from his legs.

I was brushing his hair with that old brush of his that we had brought from the apartment. I think he and Precious both shared it. It was kinda nappy and hairy but it was the best I could do at the time.

As I was smoothing his unruly top when it occured to me that there was something that he might not know about his immediate family. It seemed instantly important that I tell him so that he could know before he left.

"You know what we all (me, Terri, Charise, Jonathan, Danny, Liz) call that?" I asked him.

He shook his head as I continued to tackle the multiple Alfalfa do.

I said, "Papaw Hair."

"Yep. You got a bad case of Papaw Hair today."

He just smiled a little and let me finish the coif ----- just right ---- almost.

Isn't it funny how the people you love make impressions on you? The little things they leave with you that will always be a part of you. The big things, of course. But right now I'm being flooded by all of these little, personal, intimate things that we hardly even noticed in a day of life and living. They are sweet --- and their memories make me sad --- they wash over me --- and they help wash the sadness away.

We called everybody and told them to come to the hospital. I knew that he was having the best day of the rest of his time with us. We all came from everywhere.

When Jonathan arrived he went straight to the bed ---- leaned over and hugged and kissed Daddy tenderly.

Jonathan drew back a little from the embrace --- still arm in arm --- so that Daddy could get a good look at him to see who it was. He looked up into Jonathan's face, smile to smile ----- then focused on the mane of wild hair that encircled Jonathan's head.

And said, "Gaaaaawlee!"

We all laughed (he made all of us laugh all of the time) because we knew that that meant, "Bud, it's time for a hair cut!"

There'll always be those bad hair days ahead --- but they will be a little more bearable because we'll think fondly of them as Papaw Hair Days. And when our days get really hairy --- we'll just look in the mirror and say, "Gaaaaaawlee!"

One more contribution from Daddy --- who learned how to put up with, and survive so much ---- that will help us all ----- every day.

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