John
As you know the Saints are the Saint John Newmann football team. So I guessed right. I hope you don't think that I used term Saint in an irreverent way. If so, it was not intended and I apologize.
I was raised in South West Philly and went to West Catholic High School for Boys, class of 83, which would make me a Burr. I donâ??t go to the beach either but my alumni association has a "burrs on the beach" reunion every year about 15 miles from my house.
My old neighborhood has changed dramatically, everybody I knew there moved out, so I donâ??t go back anymore either. The cheese steaks are still good if you know where to go.
Anyway that is enough talking about Philly, back to grandfathers.
I moved down the shore when I graduated from West and lived with my grandparents for a couple years. I didn't know many people down here at first so I wound up spending allot of time with my grandfather. He was a retired Machinist who also did gunsmithing on the side. He had arms of steel right up to his last years, probably from working with his hands all of his life. We used to go shooting together about 4 nights a week at a local indoor range that has since closed. He died of cancer about 10 years ago.
Near the end when he knew he didn't have much time left, he asked to go shooting one last time. My father and I brought every gun we owned and let him decide what he wanted to shoot in spite of the fact that it was drizzling. We didn't let the drizzle cancel the day because we knew there was not much time left. His eyes were shot from macular degeneration so he could barley see the target but he enjoyed the day of shooting none the less. My Colt Frontier Scout lost a spot of bluing off of the left side of the barrel that day. Every time I see that spot I think of my grandfather and smile. Funny when you are in your twenties you donâ??t realize how powerful these memories are, but when you get older they help you to remember what is important and what is not.
Tomorrow I plan on going shooting with my father who will be surprised with the Model 1100 shotgun that he is getting for fathers day.
Chris