Reminiscences
March 13, 2019 at 9:27 am 52 comments
For Friday Fictioneers 100-Word Challenge: 15 March 2019
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| Photo Credit: Anshu Bhojnagarwala |
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Grandma loved to grow flowers. It sustained and comforted her when grandpa left for Vietnam and even more when he came back in a casket.
Growing up, I looked forward to going to her house, keeping her company, and listening to family stories as we worked in her garden.
It followed that mom started to get jealous of her. She thought I had come to love grandma more, which I did.
Grandma died while I was overseas. After mom and dad sold her house and possessions, I had nothing left but a couple of garden tools to preserve her memory.
Entry filed under: Blogroll, Daily Post, friday fictioneers. Tags: 100-word challenge, fiction.
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Musings of a Random Mind 
1.
larry trasciatti | March 13, 2019 at 10:09 am
Interesting tale of complicated family relationships.
2.
plaridel | March 13, 2019 at 1:54 pm
larry:
one’s family relationship can be difficult to navigate sometimes. thank goodness, we can outgrow it.
3.
M K Zebra | March 13, 2019 at 11:01 am
Not even a denial he preferred grandma – I like the direct honesty about the family relationships here.
4.
plaridel | March 13, 2019 at 1:53 pm
mkzebra:
i think grandmas are very special. they’re more accepting and forgiving.
5.
Alice Audrey | March 13, 2019 at 12:09 pm
That is so sad.
6.
plaridel | March 13, 2019 at 1:53 pm
alice:
if there’s any consolation, she’s in a better place now.
7.
Alice Audrey | March 13, 2019 at 2:46 pm
But he’ll probably always regret not being there when she went.
8.
plaridel | March 13, 2019 at 10:17 pm
alice:
i wouldn’t surprise if he does.
9.
draliman | March 13, 2019 at 12:47 pm
Quite sad, he was so far away he didn’t get a chance to say goodbye or save many of her possessions.
10.
plaridel | March 13, 2019 at 1:53 pm
draliman:
i think it’s something grandma would understand. nothing to worry about it.
11.
Iain Kelly | March 13, 2019 at 2:19 pm
Hopefully his memories will last longer than her possessions.
12.
plaridel | March 13, 2019 at 10:18 pm
iain:
no doubt about it, they will stay with him forever.
13.
Susan A Eames | March 13, 2019 at 2:44 pm
It’s not uncommon for grandchildren to feel more comfortable with their grandparents. Nice take on the photo prompt.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
14.
plaridel | March 13, 2019 at 10:17 pm
susan:
i think it’s the same for grandparents too. grandparents tend to be more tolerant to their grandchildren compared to their own children. š
15.
Abhijit Ray | March 13, 2019 at 8:09 pm
Good that you have her memories. It is such a sad but realistic story. You told it nicely.
16.
plaridel | March 13, 2019 at 10:17 pm
abhijit:
you’re very kind. thank you.
17.
anuragbakhshi | March 13, 2019 at 9:57 pm
So lovely and sad at the same time.
18.
plaridel | March 13, 2019 at 10:16 pm
anurag:
i appreciate the comment very much. thank you.
19.
Sandra | March 14, 2019 at 1:44 am
The bond between a grandparent and the child can be very strong. Well done.
20.
plaridel | March 14, 2019 at 9:24 am
sandra:
i couldn’t agree more. š
21.
Keith's Ramblings | March 14, 2019 at 3:45 am
A poignant piece indeed. The tools will forever be his most treasured possessions.
22.
plaridel | March 14, 2019 at 9:23 am
keith:
he’ll keep the tools. they won’t be for sale even for a thousand dollars.
23.
rochellewisoff | March 14, 2019 at 4:26 am
Dear Plaridel,
How sad that his mother would be jealous of his grandmother. Must be is father’s mother. Nicely done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
24.
plaridel | March 14, 2019 at 9:23 am
rochelle:
it was very perceptive of you. she was indeed her mother-in-law who lived across the street.
25.
Violet Lentz | March 14, 2019 at 4:31 am
Very intimate telling. Excellent piece.
26.
plaridel | March 14, 2019 at 9:22 am
violet:
i’m glad you liked it. thank you for reading as always.
27.
gahlearner | March 14, 2019 at 4:58 am
I can understand why he loved grandma more. Families… Lovely and sad story, Plaridel, his love of gardening will always remind him of her.
28.
plaridel | March 14, 2019 at 9:22 am
gahlearner:
i guess grandma was the mother he never had metaphorically speaking.
29.
pennygadd51 | March 14, 2019 at 8:37 am
A quietly sad story. What a shame that mom was jealous.
30.
plaridel | March 14, 2019 at 9:21 am
penny:
family dynamics can require recalibration sometimes.
31.
Dale | March 14, 2019 at 8:22 pm
Family dynamics can be so complicated and misplaced jealousy sure doesn’t help. Well done, Plaridel.
32.
plaridel | March 16, 2019 at 10:16 am
dale:
yes, it happens. after all, we’re only human.
33.
granonine | March 15, 2019 at 5:50 am
The grandmother must have been a strong woman. Not only did she absorb the loss of her husband, but also he daughter’s jealousy. Sad story, happens all to often. Perfectly written.
34.
plaridel | March 16, 2019 at 10:16 am
linda:
it’s very generous of you. thank you.
35.
msjadeli | March 15, 2019 at 3:52 pm
families are tough enough without war interfering. a grandmother’s love is some of the strongest in existence. this is a very sad story, one of pain in so many directions.
36.
plaridel | March 16, 2019 at 10:16 am
msjadeli:
your comment is much appreciated. thank you for your support.
37.
patrickprinsloo | March 16, 2019 at 4:05 am
That’s really sad. I bet the narrator grew some lovely displays of flowers.
38.
plaridel | March 16, 2019 at 10:16 am
patrick:
no doubt about it. he learned from his grandmother.
39.
Margaret | March 17, 2019 at 1:44 am
What a shame his closeness to his grandmother caused a rift with his mother. But it’s never easy to maintain harmony in a family, and your story shows the intricacies of that very well.
40.
plaridel | March 18, 2019 at 2:28 pm
margaret:
it does require a lot of work to maintain harmony in a family. the only thing we can do is try our best.
41.
Esha M Dutta | March 17, 2019 at 6:44 am
You’ve crafted such a realistic story. Even though it is a trite sad but it leaves one feeling good that he got the tools and that will keep his grandma’s memories alive in him forever.
42.
plaridel | March 18, 2019 at 2:28 pm
esha:
thank you for reading. i appreciate that it touched a chord in you.
43.
Bjƶrn Rudberg (brudberg) | March 17, 2019 at 1:35 pm
There is such a connection between grandpa dying overseas and she dying with her grandchild overseas… the distance makes the sorrow larger.
44.
plaridel | March 18, 2019 at 2:27 pm
bjƶrn:
come to think of it, it really does.
45.
Russell Gayer | March 18, 2019 at 4:17 am
I deeply loved my grandma too. She was a sweet soul. Thank you for digging up some memories of her for me to enjoy.
46.
plaridel | March 18, 2019 at 2:27 pm
russell:
grandmas would always have a special place in our hearts.
47.
Rachel Bjerke | March 18, 2019 at 6:30 am
Grandma’s are the best! Mom’s are great too, but there is always something special about Grandma!
-Rachel
48.
plaridel | March 18, 2019 at 2:27 pm
rachel:
it could be that grandkids are considered bonus. besides, when they start to misbehave, she could always return them to their parents. š
49.
Fatima Fakier | March 19, 2019 at 3:13 am
Your story tells a lot about family relationships. THe grandmother must have been the mother’s mother-in-law, not her own mother. And grandparents are special aren’t they. My own commandeer of a mother turned into a liberal hippie with her grandchildren. And I think children need that balance.
50.
plaridel | March 20, 2019 at 10:08 am
fatima:
you guessed right, she was her mother-in-law.
51.
Dawn M. Miller | March 19, 2019 at 4:13 pm
Sweet story.
52.
plaridel | March 20, 2019 at 10:08 am
dawn:
i’m glad you liked it. thank you for reading.