Special, humbling and gratifying — I’m loving life as ‘Old Timer’ grandfather

Old Timer had ants in his pants.

It was an early Saturday morning in September. He paced from room-to-room. Living room, to kitchen, to bedroom, to front porch. Phone in one hand. Finally, pacing wasn’t enough to calm his anxiety.

“I’m going to drive to the hospital,” he told his wife. “I’ll just sit in my car, in the parking lot. Out of the way. But close.”

And that’s what he did, and that’s where about an hour later, he received the simple text from his son that read, “He’s here.”

After receiving the text — from his car in the parking lot — Old Timer looked over at Memorial Hospital East in Shiloh. He was calm. Sighed. The ants in his britches had disappeared.

Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021.

A morning he’ll always remember.

Gramps.

Within minutes, from his son, he received a few photos of his first grandchild on his phone. Where did all that black hair come from? He immediately texted the photos to his wife, daughter, brothers and a few friends and relatives.

Why was Old Timer in his car in the hospital parking lot?

He was antsy. Also, COVID rules. He wanted to be as close as he could be — but out of the way — when his grandson entered this world. Likely, it will be the first of his many spontaneous, unexplainable, over-reactive moments in new world of grandparenthood.

Stay tuned.

It was a reflective moment. Old Timer thought about his own grandpa. They were close. He thought of his late dad. He thought about the advice and messages he wanted to tell his new grandson:

• Learn to play golf.
• Dance lessons.
• Laugh a lot.
• Read directions.
• Get along with others.
• Be a good friend.
• Play in the dirt.
• Embrace your imagination; it’s a boy’s best friend.
• Catch bugs but don’t eat them.
• (Love your grandpa!).

Old Timer also realized now wasn’t the time for messages, or speeches, or to offer inspiring words of wisdom to his grandson. Someday, maybe. That time may never come, either. That’s mom’s and dad’s role. Grandpas are here to hug, love, encourage and spoil. Old Timer is ready for the assignment.

Old Timer held his baby grandson later that afternoon in the hospital room. He wore a mask, of course. His grandson’s eyes were closed. He looked a lot like his dad — Old Timer’s son — as a baby almost 30 years ago. Where did he get all that black hair? He also looked like his mother. A beautiful boy. The moment was special, humbling and gratifying.

Old Timer played golf the next day. He couldn’t help but looking at the new photos of his new grandson on his phone. Over and over. Hey. Put your phone down! He was in another world.

Watching my grandson grow; what will he call me?

The past few months, Old Timer has watched his new grandson grow. Longer. Thicker. One evening, he looked at Old Timer and grinned spontaneously. Sure, it may have been gas. But it made Old Timer feel like the luckiest old timer in town.

When he talks someday soon, what will baby grandson call Old Timer?

Gramps?

Grandpa?

Old Timer is fine, too.

Any name is fine, as long as it comes with that grin that makes Old Timer feel like the luckiest old timer in town.