I was fortunate enough to get together with my uncles and aunts a few months ago for lunch. It was really a pleasure to see them all again, and to chat briefly as it was, once more.
My earliest memory of my uncle was at our kitchen table. He put a nickel and a dime in front of me on the table and told me to choose one. I picked the nickel. He put another nickel on the table and asked me again to choose one. Again, I chose the nickel. A third time, he put a nickel out with the dime and told me that even though the dime was smaller than the nickel, it was worth twice as much. I wasn't sure how much longer I could get him to play the game, so that time I chose the dime. In the end, I was 20 cents richer instead of ten. If I'd picked the dime straight off, it would have been a very short game!When I was a teenager, Uncle Lawrence came to live with us for a little while until he could relocate his family from Idaho to California. My mom was working that evening, so it was my responsibility to make the dinner. I can't remember what I made, but it was awful. Uncle Lawrence ate it without complaining and left $20 on the table for me, a "tip."
He took us to Disneyland several times when we were young. Who in their right mind would take someone else's kids there? That was back in the day when you had to have a ticket for each ride. When he didn't take us, he'd at least give us his family's leftover tickets in case we could use them later.
And he was funny. He was one of the funniest people I have ever known in my life. I could sit and listen to him tell stories for hours. If ever there was a family gathering, with a bunch of folks all in one spot, you could be sure Uncle Lawrence was at the center, entertaining everyone. I will miss him.
2 comments:
So sorry for your loss.
I am sorry to hear of Uncle Lawrence's passing. Thank you for the pictures Aunt Patti. I haven't seen Uncle Lawrence in many many years.
Almost 10. It's nice to hear your fond memories.
I too remember that he was very funny, always with a smile. I also remember he had a way awesome house in CA. I learned to dive in his pool in the back. I remember Aunt Helen was about as nice as you could get. And I thought their kids (who were teenagers when I was a kid) were about the coolest kids I knew. I think he was a smart man, and I can remember times when he tried to give Papa advice.
He will be missed.
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