Family History - Stories of Grandpa Danny [Part 4]

We always lived far enough away from my father's family that when any of them would come over to visit it was always a special treat. One thing that would almost always happen is we would hear great stories about what it was like to grow up on Bacigalupi Dr., racing down Cardboard Hill, or building makeshift explosives, or sending sisters down hills in home-made go-carts.

The last several times we've been visited I've had the distinct impression to record these stories and to direct the conversation around my grandfather Danny. Grampa Danny passed away when my dad was only 17 so I have never met him and have a strong interest in who he was.

The following is the fourth and final part of a transcript of when my Uncle Joe and Aunt Lisa came to visit on September 27th, 2017. You can read the third part by clicking here. (If you would like to listen to the original recording you can do so by clicking here [be warned though that it is not a perfect recording])

Joe: And we moved that over into our family. I mean we emphasized education to Tiana just as much as we did our boys.

Lisa: Just as much as we did our boys. Yeah.

Joe: And uh, but I remember every time I'd come over to your house your dad would always ask me how's school going?

Steve: Mmm hmm.

Joe: What kind of classes are you taking? What classes do you really enjoy? What do you like about them?

Lisa: Yeah.

Joe: And he always, uh...

Lisa: Whoever Dad talked to, he was here and now.

Joe: Oh he was just focused on you.

Lisa: Everybody said when I talk to your Dad he always wanted to know about me. And he really really meant it. 

Steve: Very sincere.

Lisa: Very sincere. 

Steve: Yeah.

Lisa: In fact, I was just in Paris last year visiting my friend Kim that lived up the street. And um, she would walk by our house to go down and she said, "Your dad always would stop me, 'Kim how you doing? How's school going? What are your plans?'" you know? She just said, "I always loved that." She goes, "My own dad never asked me." She goes, "Your dad always asked me."

Joe: That's really a gift.

Lisa: It is a gift.

Steve: Yeah.

Lisa: Sincere, to be sincere. And he was a good listener. 

Steve. Mmm hmm. 

Lisa: Yeah, he really listened.

Steve: When he did the one on one interviews with me, um, he would actually have us bring our journal.

Lisa: Nice!

Joe: Oh!

Steve: So I have some of the entries in my journal, things that he wrote. 

Lisa: I wish that I had done that.

Steve: A lot of it was goals.

Lisa: Goals. Setting goals.

Steve: Right, setting goals. What kind of grades do you wanna get? Um, and what are you gonna do to get that grade? Can you do a little bit better? You know, stuff like that.

Lisa: Yeah! Really, yeah. And those were really important, you know, were those interview times. We did them just, I think 'cause I was older, I was gone. But um, those had a big impact on me. I did them with my own kids. You know, follow up, you know, met with them.

*Adam brings out a photo*

Joe: Who's that?

*Laughter*

Steve: I think that's.... Jamie's adoption.

Joe: Is that you?

Adam: That's someone's graduation.

Andrew: Is that cropped in from a bigger picture?

Adam: Yeah. I'll get to the bigger picture.

Joe: Oh that's great.

Andrew: I betcha that's your graduation [to Lisa], how old was Dad when you graduated?

Lisa: He was five years old when I left for college, so he was... well no wait you were younger than that. Daniel was three when I left for college so you were five.

Steve: Yeah.

Lisa: And I finished four and a half years later, so you were eight and a half?

Steve: Yeah. I guess that sounds right.

Lisa: 'Cause you guys all drove out, you guys drove out for my graduation.

Steve: Yeah, I remember that. Well, we flew. Me and Grandma Bea and Daniel flew, and they all drove.

Lisa: Oh did you? OK.

Adam: It might have been...

Lisa: High school graduation maybe?

Adam: His adoption actually.

Joe: Wow, I never would have recognized them.

Lisa: Who's this, Steven?

Joe: Steven. I would not have recognized Steven.

Lisa: You have the big...

Joe: There's Sherry.

Lisa: Oh that would have been...

Joe: Is that Jamie? Is that Jamie right there?

Steve: Yeah that's Anthony's adoption.

Lisa: Anthony's adoption! 

Joe: Wow!

Lisa: Was he like five years old?

Steve: Yeah, five.

Lisa: Do you know he and Daniel came and helped Brent and Metta move in?

Steve: Oh really? That's great.

Lisa: Anthony! And Anthony wants to be, he's like "I want to be connected more with the family."

Steve: That's great.

Joe: That's Daniel?

Andrew: No. Well, I don't know. Yeah, it looks like Daniel.

Joe: I was thinking that looks like Daniel.

Andrew: I was trying to see who looks the closest in age to my dad. 'Cause Dad looks a little younger than that.

Joe: See that.... What's the age difference between Daniel and your dad?

Andrew: It's like two and a half years?

Joe: What two and a half? Yeah, that could be two and a half years. I have no idea who that is... that is Sherry's daughter. 

Andrew: And these ones?

Joe: Those are Sherry's kids. Sherry's kids. But I can't remember his name.... That is Daniel, that is definitely Daniel. Daniel has a look that you can recognize. I tell you, that is...

Andrew: I don't know. That look, both Dad and Daniel have that exact face. All the pictures from that age, they both have the little squinty with big lips.

Joe: Really? *laughing* Well...

*Andrew's son Peter crying out of control close to the microphone*

Andrew: It's time to go. He can't handle this, he killed it....

Lisa: Oh my gosh!

-THE END-