GRANDPA MIKES CHRISTMAS PACKAGE----------December 2005 It was Christmas Eve in a Oregon, where my Grandpa Mike lived, during his retirement, where he had a caregiver who was a dear family friend, looked after him. Grandpa Mike was 83 years old, and frail, but having served in WW II with The United States Army with the 42nd Rainbow Division, and having fought at the Battle of the Bulge, he still had a commanding presence that any former combat soldier has. Grandpa Mike signed up for service in the U.S. Army the day after Pearl Harbor Day. He was in his home state of California. He was only 17 but lied on his enlistment papers stating he was 18. During his years of serving in the war, he earned a Bronze Star and Purple Heart. It was actually on Christmas Eve when his life was saved after being found half frozen and gravely wounded, at the battle grounds of the aftermath of The Battle of the Bulge. He was for a day declared missing in action and his mother was informed he was missing and presumed dead. My Great Grandmother got another knock on the Door Christmas Day and was happily informed that her son was found alive and they were operating on her son and he was given a good chance of full recovery. It was a Christmas miracle. This Christmas, now it was my Grandpa Mike who had a Grandson getting ready to go to war, to fight. Many a time I called my Grandpa to talk to him, and always on Veterans Day, to thank him for his service. He told me stories I dont think he told many other people. He was a real reserved kind of person who hid his emotions under his sleeve at most times, but when he talked about his service, he was very emotional and touching with his sharing of his feelings and emotions; it was his buddies who did not return that he talked about the most. My Grandpa did a lot of amazing things during his service but he never boasted. He just talked about the bond of brothers-in-arms. My Grandpa was a first class Trumpet player and was going to be a full time musician until Pearl Harbor Day. At Boot Camp, having heard they had a real Bugle Boy among them, his commanders made him play Reveille in the morning and Taps at night. When there were Military Balls they always made my Grandpa play with the band. My Grandpa got an offer from the Army to be part of the U.S. Army Band and play at the USO gatherings, and they told him he could have the cushy job and not face the Frontlines. With that job there was top natch food, wine and lots of pretty girls. All his friends at Basic Training and the 42nd told him he should take up the offer. My Grandpa refused. He said he signed up to fight in the war!! Not be a Bugle boy!! So, my Grandpa was real stubborn about it and refused to play the Bugle unless they sent him to the Frontlines. So they did. My Great Grandmother was not too happy about that. She wanted him to take up the offer of being a full time U.S. Army Band member. Anyway, my Grandpa talked about what it meant to leave home and go face the unknown and fight for freedom. I felt the same way. I too was 17 years old when America was attacked on 9/11, and I wanted to go sign up the next day. Only problem was I had some learning disabilities and had to do several grades over again. I would be 19 when I graduated High School. My Grandpa was real smart and was already graduated from Mill Valley High School by the time he was 17. Anyway, I too had the calling as my Grandpa to defend my Country in a time of war. Well, Im home for Christmas leave before I deploy to Iraq with the 1st Armored Division, 1-37th Regiment, 1st Brigade. I was trained to be a Tanker, but in Iraq I will most likely be a gunner on a Humvee. Its great to be home and there is a lot to do. The most important thing I wanted to do is to send a Christmas gift I have been working on for a few months now. It is a photo album, with the U.S. Army emblem and in Army green of course. My mom had a package she was getting ready to take to the U.P.S. store. As she was finishing putting presents for Grandpa in I asked her to add my gift. She looked at me, whats this? I hesitated because I didnt want to share it with anybody but my Grandpa. I knew if I brought it out as she was getting ready to tape the big box closed, she wouldnt have the time to snoop through it. In the picture album, there were pictures of all my travel in Europe and a couple in particular, I didnt want her to see. One, is me and my buddies, after we climbed the hill to the Old Eagles Nest where Hitler used to reside, there I am taking a big old swig of whiskey!! Gosh, my mom would not like that. Another one.......well, the guys and I were kind of drunk and acting funny; and I really didnt want my mom to see that. I knew it would make my Grandpa smile though. Even make him proud!! Women dont understand that kind of thing. Men do. Well, I heard the Christmas Package got there just on time on Christmas Eve. Jamie, his caregiver, received and signed for the special delivery of the package from the U.P.S. man making his last rounds for the day. Jamies home and business residence was in the outskirts of Portland, out in the country, next to some Christmas Tree farms, and surrounded by natural forests. The road to her ranch home was long and winding. Jamie closed the door, gazing at the package, and reading the Label; TO MIKE PUNCH FROM THE WOODS FAMILY IN ALASKA. She smiled as she walked to the living room, to give Mike his package. Mike!! Youve got a package here!!, she said cheerfully. She placed it on the coffee table in front of him. He eagerly placed it in his Lap so he could get a good look at it with his glasses on. Where from? as even with his glasses it took a few seconds to focus with intent concentration. ALASKA, she said loudly, as his hearing was growing faint too. Oh, he said, Alaska....., he repeated. Jamie tossed back her long wavy brown hair, and rolled up her sleeves to help the old man. She was a tall, lovely, middle aged woman with a constant smile. She was strong inside and out with a big heart. She had been Mikes second wifes best friend. She was much younger than her friend, Mikes wife, but the too were close and her friend asked Jamie to take care of Mike if she passed away before her husband. Mikes second wife, Jolie, had sadly passed away 4 years earlier. True to her word, Jamie did look after Mike. Mike, said Jamie, lets put the package on the coffee table to open it, she suggested. Okay, said Mike. Mike had only one eye left and wore an eye patch for where his other eye was now useless. Mike reached for his pocket knife which he always carried with him. Out of his pocket, his wrinkled sun spotted aged hands started to go to work cutting the taped seams of the cardboard box. Jamie would have preferred to open it herself, concerned about Mikes shaky hands, and she didnt want him to hurt himself by accident. Jamie knew he was a stubborn man and using his pocket knife gave him a sense of pride, so it was useless to argue that , maybe I should do that for you..... She instead sighed, and stood by watching every move the old mans hands made as he methodically and eagerly opened the package. Once the package was opened, Jamie sighed a sigh of relief. The old man closed the pocket knife and gingerly placed it in his pocket. Mike looked at the array of gifts. There were big gifts, little gifts, a stocking full of candy, with a little stuffed animal. The first big wrapped gift he opened was a quilt with black bears, trout and fishing pole on it. Next, a package containing two small matching pillows with the same outdoor theme. Some cookies in a tin, and some gloves. The old man just said, Hmmphfff, unimpressed. But Jamie spotted one last gift. It was tucked under the other items. He almost missed it. Mike, look at this, said Jamie. One more gift to unwrap!! On the gift label read, TO GRANDPA FROM SHANE. As he opened it his expression changed. It was a Army photo album his Grandson had put together with quite a lot of pictures and then by the side of each photo space, there were lines to write about that particular picture. Out fell a Christmas card. Grandpa Mike asked for his magnifying glass. Jamie got it for him and handed it to him. Thank you, he said. Jamie just smiled and nodded. He opened the Christmas Card that was a Thomas Kinkade Hallmark Card. It had a picture of a little cottage home decorated with decorations for the season, and a couple of horse hitched up in front. The card said on the front, For a Grandfather who means so much. Inside the card I wrote these words to my Grandpa, GRANDPA MIKE, I CARRY YOUR PICTURE, YOUR HONOR, YOUR LEGACY WITH ME ALWAYS AND I AM MORE DAMMED PROUD OF YOU THEN WORDS CAN SAY. I CAN ONLY STRIVE TO LIVE UP TO YOU. I HOPE YOU LIVE IN LOVE AND PEACE BY GODS GRACE AND KNOW I WILL FIGHT THINKING OF YOU. WITH LOVE FROM YOUR GRANDSON, SHANE. The WW II Combat Veterans lips began to quiver. He began to look at the extensive array of photos of Shanes travels in Europe, where his Grandson tread upon the very same ground in all his own years there during WW II. There were pictures too of Shanes Duty Station, the Famous Ray Barracks in Friedberg, Germany. Shane in his uniform performing different military tasks, and pictures of Shane with his beloved Tanks, and his Army Tanker Buddies. The most striking picture was Shane standing on Normandy Beach, in France, where Shane attended the D-Day Ceremonies in June 2004 and 2005. Shane had a very solemn and respectful expression on his face. Next to that picture was the words penned, Always and forever now sacred ground. There were funny pictures too, as Shane used to love to ham it up. One is Shane with his gun doing his Clint Eastwood impersonation. Another was Shane during training and a picture of Shane at the Military Ball they had in Germany for the guys getting ready to deploy. Shane was dressed in his best uniform holding a champagne glass up in toast with a fellow soldier. Grandpa took his time inspecting this amazing gift. At the last page, he closed it with hesitation. He then hugged it tight to his chest. Grandpa Mike stared at the Christmas tree that was fragrant and twinkling. While gazing at the tree he also had at the same time a far away look on his face. So far away....... his gaze was so far away......... Jamie wondered what the old man was thinking about. Mike was a man who kept his feelings unexpressed at most times. Evening his loving attributes were gruff and to the point. To say he was a man of few words was an understatement. Uh.....well......I think Ill check on dinner, as she dismissed herself briefly. She had much to do with company on the way. Mike seemed to want to be left alone. Soon, others arrived, and dinner was done. Jamie was a wonderful host as well as cook, and her home was the essence of, Faith, Family and Friends. She was a person who put her hands and heart to doing good works for others, as well as run her own business from home. She was hardworking and generous and a person deeply devout Christian who loved Jesus, and let Jesuss love show through her many works. The folks who arrived all exchanged Christmas greetings. Embraces said, with, Merry Christmas!! were heard repeated among the many people entering the happy scene of celebration of the season. People were taking coats off and the oven with the roast turkey was opened and hot pads were holding a gleaming brown turkey. The lower oven fresh dinner rolls were taken out oven mitts and placed on the counter next to countless dishes and casseroles. Pies were jammed one next to another and someone was lighting the dinner table candles. People warmly smiled at the old man sitting on the couch. He was clutching something obviously of great value. His one good eye was glistening, with holding back a tear. One tear had already fallen despite the old mans attempt not to.............. Jamie walked over to Mike, and put her hand on his shoulder, and spoke in a gentle tone, Mike..........dinners done, said Jamie. The old man continued to sit there. Mike didnt want to put the book down. Mike, you got to have some dinner, she said a little firmer. Okay, he gave in. But the old soldier just kept thinking about the young soldier getting ready to go to the battle fields................the old soldier who had been part of The Greatest Generation that saved the world; now it was the Grandsons turn to go to war and protect the world which he and his brothers-in-arms had saved. The old man realized the torch of freedom had been passed and this Generation was ready to fulfill the task.
Posted on: Mon, 01 Dec 2014 02:17:22 +0000
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