“When you grow up and become a professional baseball player, don’t forget your Grandpa Billy,” he used to say. When someone thinks of their Grandpa, they think of their dad’s father who likes to tell stories of the old days. When I think of my Grandpa, I think of him not only as my Grandpa, but as my best friend. One best friend, who I could always talk to when I needed someone. Even though he is gone, I still talk to him every night.

My Grandpa was not any ordinary Grandpa. He was one of the funniest people one could ever meet. Grandpa would always lend a helping hand, no questions asked. Grandpa always gave me a good outlook on like, always told me to keep my head up and stay positive. Grandpa could always find a way to turn the worst situation into the best.

Grandpa had so many special things about him. He and I had our favorite candy bar. He always had these green mints in his shirt pocket. My brother and I would give anything to have a mint when we saw him because we knew that they were Grandpa’s mints. Our favorite song was one sung by George Jones called “I Still Sing the Old Songs.” We even had our own little secret handshake that we would do every time we saw each other.

Grandpa drove a little Chevy S-10, gray in color. It was a 5 speed and had very low miles. That was something that he was always proud of. “A 1991 truck with 40,000 miles. Cant beat that now, can ya, Pokey?” he use to say. Pokey was his nickname for me. My little brother was Twinkle Toes. What I remember most about my Grandpa was that he was fearless.

I was thirteen years old when he first took me out in that little blue Chevy that now sits in my yard. “Keep it forty-five and just keep going.” I remember the rush of happiness that I felt behind the wheel.

March 15 was the day it happened. My cell phone had a message and it was from my dad. I called him back to find out what he needed and he told me that my grandpa was no longer with us. My heart was crushed. To this day, I still can hear him say the words, “Don’t worry, Pokey, I am in a better place. No worries, I will see you again someday!”