Goodbye Papaw

[cassidyta]

I got the call this morning that Papaw had lost the fight to cancer. In many ways he had been more of a dad than a grandfather. I lived with my grandparents from the time I was 5 until I left for the Marines.

When I have talked about fishing and my "Dad" on here, it was always a reference to him. He is the one who taught me hunt, to fish, and to respect every living thing. I tried to explain the concept of respecting somthing you hunt ot my son the other day. My Papaw taught me that respecting a deer meant a clean shot that would not cause it to suffer. If you did not have a shot that would drop it, then you were not meant to shoot it.

He taught me Yes Sir, and Yes Ma'am. (And yes had belt to remind me should I forget)

At 16 I had grown taller than him and ONE time felt that I could take him. I remember him saying to me, "Son, I bet you think you are too big for me to turn you over my knee." Like a dumbass, I answered "yes I do" and puffed out my chest. That was when he said, "Then you are ready for this." I never saw the right hand, I was too focused on the cane he let drop to the ground. But by God, I felt it. I can never hear the Garth Brooks song "The night I called the old man out" without rubbing my chin and making a face that is somewhat a smile and a frown.

I know I am rambling now, but needed to at least type out the words.
"Goodbye Papaw, I love you"