We all called my mother’s father Papa Smith. I grew up across the street from my grandparents, and even though he worked almost all of the time, he spent a lot of time with me and the other cousins and family members who lived nearby.
Papa was a large man with a deep voice. When the grandchildren were young, we all had at the very least a healthy respect for him. He was a strict disciplinarian, and, unfortunately, my mother must have inherited that from him. One day when she was breaking off a switch, I ran down the driveway. Of course, they caught me, and he told me sternly never to do that again. That made such an impression on me that I never even thought of it again. That was also the only time that I recall his being angry with me.
I remember going up to his service station and getting a pack of nabs (what we called them back in the day) and a cold Coca-Cola from the big chest that he had. Mother always drove, and usually several of us went. We all piled in one car, usually my great-grandfather’s Ford with a rumble seat, which I never liked. Sometimes we would also go to the ice cream store for a cone of chocolate. I never knew until I was grown that my great-grandmother was too frugal to buy herself a cone. I made an incorrect childlike assumption that she did not like ice cream!
Papa was also very intelligent. We often sat in the swing on their front porch and talked about national and world news. They had one of those huge radios, and he also took the newspaper so that he would know what was going on. Although he only finished the eighth grade, not unusual in his day, he was the valedictorian of his class, and I am proud to have the original copy of his valedictory speech.
He also loved automobiles, as he called them, and for many years bought a succession of black Chevrolets. However, when he retired, he bought a teal and white 1957 Chevy Bel Air Sports Coupe! He and Mama took that car on many road trips, driving as far as Florida several times. I believe that retirement after a life of hard work gave him/them the opportunity to do some of the things they really wanted to do!
Knowing him was my pleasure!!