Catch Her in the Wry is counting down the days to her 60th birthday with recollections of her lifetime a year at a time.
She writes about the fun of playing at her grandparents farm and making discoveries and playing in the gigantic attic.
There were lines strung from rafter to rafter, holding old dresses, suits and coats, and boxes of various hats; books, paper, kitchen items, furniture and everything a child could dream of to play with and yet plenty of room to run around.
My paternal grandfather had six wives (one at a time), and each wife helped clean out his belongings acquired over a lifetime.
Nina was the woman he was married to when I was a curious boy. I remember one time we went into the attic looking for something, and there was this magnificent elaborate uniform hanging in a closet. Navy with a black stripe down the pants, long coat tails, epaulettes, gold braiding and lots of buttons shiny buttons down the front. Of course it was fascinating to a young boy and she told me off handedly of why Grandpa had this uniform.
But since it was part of his past with another woman, she really wasn’t interested in it or many details about the uniform. I apparently was satisfied with her explanation at the time and never got more details from Grandpa or Dad.
Yes, I’m sure he wasn’t a tuba player for Sousa!
But Catch Her In The Wry’s post jarred a memory that has me curious. What happened to the shiny, fancy, engraved sword and scabbard that was part of the uniform?
Talk about knocking a kid’s socks off. When she pulled that sword down from the top of the closet and unsheathed it, I wanted it. Bad. I think she let me hold it for maybe 30 seconds before it went back out of my reach.
The uniform and sword were both non-military. My recollection is that it was a fraternal brotherhood and my Grandpa was an “officer” or high ranking something or other. He was active in the Masons and perhaps was a Shriner (?)
No, this wasn’t a clown uniform, either.
But my dad was a 32nd degree Mason and he didn’t have a uniform.
Do you have any clues?
Since I am the only surviving grandson and my father was an only son, I’m a getting a little pissed that this heirloom isn’t in the top of my closet!
Coming soon: My maternal Granpa’s badge
