Ethan Mowery's Online Portfolio

Grandpa

Grandpa played golf with my brother and I when he came to visit.
He’d tell us he had the patience of a saint,
and although I never met one I have always just assumed
all saints are very impatient

He sent me two birthday presents every year.
He never sent my brother any.
We laughed about it. It seemed like a funny thing.
My brother could always have the second set of clubs I got one year.

Grandpa drank powdered drinks that he mixed with tap water.
He was proud of the deal he got for buying hundreds of boxes of the sugary stuff.
They came in simple flavors like apple, strawberry, peach. He had every one.

Grandpa took me shopping for cars when I turned 16,
said he had friends that could help us out, and by help, he meant get us a deal.
Grandpa shopped for deals.
He wasn’t concerned with what he bought, just that he got the best price.

Grandpa may have been cheap, but he wasn’t afraid to lose money.
He owned one of the first television stores in New York City,
but for all the money it brought in
he still lost the business in a card game.

Grandpa liked to bet on everything.
He taught me how to shoot pool like a real shark.
We didn’t play much eight ball.
Instead we focused on the endless ways to hustle someone out of their money.

Grandpa cheated on Grandma before she died.
It was only two months later that he married Michelle.
We didn’t hear her name mentioned much around the house,
but instead I remember hearing her frequently called “The Bitch”.

Grandpa came to visit us. Even brought Michelle with him.
Michelle eats watermelon like a nigger.
Mom was ready to kill him for that comment.
He knew it.

I don’t think I ever saw him after that.

When Grandpa died Mom said she was sure the bitch did it.
As if she hadn’t spent what was left of his money already,
I guess we should feel lucky she even told us he died.

A man with a brown suit and matching brown package stood at our door.
My Grandpa was in the box. Mailed C.O.D. to my mother.
One year later.

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