Goodbye Papa please pray for me.

My Grandpa Gentry died 19 years ago today. I was 18. This is the flip year. A bigger anniversary than say, a 10 year or 20 year, for me at least. Its also Gordon Tipton's Bday (read: childhood friend.) Strange days indeed to be hit with those two memories as I drove to work this AM and heard the date. I don't want this to be a morbid BLOG. So, in my Grandpa's honor, I'll tell a funny story about him. Illustrates the kind of guy he was - and It also involves squirrel(s), and as you probably know if you read this here BLOG, I'm obsessed with the squirrel(s).

Mom and Pop went to Hot Springs, Arkansas most spring breaks when I was a young Boy. I stayed with my Grandpa and Grandma Gentry in the Hall Edition when I was to young to stay by myself. Since I was not in school - it was spring break, I dicked around outside most of the time. My Grandpa had an old BB Gun that he used to shoot sparrows mainly. He had a war against the sparrows, similar to mine with the squirrel(s). The sparrows got into his martin house. Martins were good (they ate bugs), sparrows bad. Anyway, I'd take this old BB Gun, that didn't have much power, and shoot it at shit. Mainly the fence. That fence still stands actually, and I'm always amazed to see the old BBs stuck in the wood. Like a time machine. Anyway, I was grab assing around with the BB Gun and across the yard in this HUGE tree in the neighbors yard - Steve's yard - was a squirrel. The squirrel was running down a big branch. Fast. Doing squirrel things. He had to be 300 yards or more, and then, 100 or so up in the tree. I whipped the BB gun around and did this John Wayne-esque hip shot. Blindly. Deadeye Dick. The squirrel (remember - it was running) dropped like a ton of bricks. The BB Gun wasn't powerful. From 300 yards away I doubt it would break skin on a person. But, for whatever reason, this freak shot hit the squirrel just perfectly in the head, or eye, who knows and killed him dead dead dead.

I freaked.

Steve (the neighbor) liked the squirrel(s). He actually fed them. If he had a problem with the squirrel(s) he'd be the kind of guy that would trap and then relocate them. He wasn't a tree hugger per se, hell there probably still isn't a Whole Foods in the entire state of Oklahoma. But, my point. He liked the squirrel(s).

Meanwhile, the squirrel is dead in his yard. There's no way I can risk getting him without doing some serious trespassing, and well Steve freaked me out for some reason. He was kind of like that Wilson character on Home Improvement. I don't think I ever saw his face, but I knew of him, and he was creepy to me for some reason that I can't even begin to remember. I just remember the fear.

So, I quickly put the gun back in my Grandpa's little tool house, shed thingy. And went inside to watch tv. This is before Cable liberated daytime television for kids. Soap Operas and some spare sitcom (probably Gomer Pyle) on one of the UHF channels that were always snowy at my Grandparents home. I went back out and dicked around, rode my bike, etc.

I come back later and I'm out in the breezeway of the carport when I hear the phone ring. Don't think much about it. My grandpa comes out the back door, and gives me a stern look, and says its Steve, from next door, wants to speak with me about a squirrel.

WHAT!?!?!!?!

I nearly shit my pants. Freaked me out - hard. I didn't know what to say. All I knew is that I didn't want to take the call. I stood there, deer in headlights, stammering for what felt like minutes, until my Grandpa Gentry (this is my Mom's Dad - the elder Boy, Ethan Gentry Tinsley, gets his middle name from my Mom's Surname - nod to her and my Grandpa) let down his facade and cracks a sly easy grin letting me know that it was just a joke.

Still pretty funny after all these years. He was a cool guy. I miss him. Wish he could have met my Lovely Bride, seen my Boy(s). Been around longer. He died just a few months shy of 70. Seemed old then, but not so old now.

I still 'till this day, don't know how he knew about the squirrel. I was so relieved at the time I didn't even think to ask him. I was just glad that creepy Steve wasn't on the phone for me. As a matter fo fact, other than the joke, nothing was ever said again about the squirrel incident.

Until I BLOG again...SQUIRRELS!!!