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My grandfather's bat
Ten years ago, my grandfather passed away. And so, all my memories of him are from when I was a child. I remember him being really tall, though maybe I was the one really short (not that I have grown much). He was a great man. He was nice and humble and I rarely saw him mad. Though when he was, it was never at us. He would spoil us rotten behind my grandmother’s back. I remember that when we ate at their house, they would give us a candy at the end of our meal. “Just one” my grandmother said, but the moment she turned her back, my grandfather would give us another one underneath the table and smile at us.
He was a great listener. Or I think he was, for he was a really, really quiet man. I believe I remember his playful smile more than the sound of his voice. He also loved dogs, especially my cousin’s little dog.
Many times, they would bring it to my grandparent’s house and those times, he would take him out for a walk, but not before taking his bat. The bat. It was a powerful bat. A weapon worthy of a mighty fighter, or at least my ten year old self thought it was.
It made an impression because it was a dangerous weapon. It was long and black, or maybe dark grey. (I could never tell). It was heavy and thick at the end. So then, why in the world would my sweet, quiet, old grandfather owned such a thing? And it was always there, besides my grandmother’s car, and placed together with their umbrellas and coats. He would always take it when going for a walk, though I think he never used it, since it always looked new and clean. I will never know why he even bought it. I can’t even imagine him buying it. That intimidating bat didn’t mirror his kind and humble personality.
Many things will remind me of him. Like those candy underneath the table, or his never changing cologne; his pocket money for cigarettes; his beret, or even his addiction to caramel. Though if I had to choose the one thing that would always remind me of him, not even his golden pocket watch that I love so much would make the cut. If I had to choose a thing, and one thing alone that remind me of him, I would choose that bat for the contrast it did.
