Hey y'all! Hugs, kisses, yada yada yada..
I frightened myself this afternoon. I happened to look at my rapidly aging self in the bafroom mirror, and saw my Papaw (Daddy's Daddy) staring back at me.
Now...this is nothing new to y'all that have tormented y'all's selves by boarding this particular Titanic for very long. But, I really did have another light bulb minute. I looked at myself, and once again was reminded of how hard geneticals are to fight.
And, that really ain't a bad thing, I guess.
I saw Papaw in the mirror.
Again.
But this time, it had more to do with how aging has made my face more resemble his. Heck, I know I've got a lot of his mannerisms, and (not bragging) his wry sense of humor. And, I have become accustomed to The Mrs. calling me "Papaw" when I say some expression, or half-giggle like he did.
Anyway...I took a pitcher of myself with my phancy iPhone for proof.
See...
I've got a big old cheek crease right down the left side of my face. Papaw had that. And, I swear, that cheek crease has gotten at least 1/2" longer since the last time I noticed it.
Not fibbin'... It's growing longer, and longer, and longer, and even more well defined. Heck, that sucker might reach my left nipple in a few years.
But, I regress.
Papaw had a cheek crease that got longer, and longer, too. Here is an old pitcher of him when he was still a relatively young man.
See! He's got a cheek crease!!! (BTW...for y'all old-time ArkLaTex readers, that is Larry Robinson Studios signature in the bottom right corner...you'll remember).
As he got older, the cheek crease got more well defined, and longer, and such.
See, the cheek crease is more well defined. And longer. (That's my beloved Munnie in the pitcher with him. I miss them both every day).
I was showing my first photo up there to The Mrs. a few minutes ago, and she said, "Please don't post that on anything." I replied by telling her my story of how I am Papaw. She kinda' softened up when I showed her the last photo. "Yep! The nose...the hairline...but your ears are not quite as big as his were, but the cheek crease is a dead giveaway (she loved him, too)." Honestly, my first photo doesn't really show it, but the cheek crease on the right side of my face only comes down to the side of my lip. On the left side, the cheek crease comes WAY down below my lip.
Closing in on my left nipple...
Our conversation ended something like this...
Me: I look just exactly like Papaw. Except for the fact that he was 6' 4", and I'm 5' 9", I am him. And, he was a fine looking man.
The Mrs: Ummm...he was a very nice man.
Me: Sigh...
I AM Papaw!!!
I just pray that I don't drive like he did as he aged. The stories are legion, but for a man that made his living for almost 40 years, driving a truck for ArkLa Gas...well, his later years were not his best behind the wheel.
Time takes a toll. At least we are still vertical and above room temp. Hate to tell you but it gets a lot worse than wrinkles. Aches, pains, stiffness, and loss of flexibility are worse. If wrinkles were the only thing, I would not give a damn.
ReplyDeleteFeelin' those, too, Bill.
DeleteSigh.
Did you see my post of the new grandson with Toby and the pic from 33 years ago of Toby and our son - three generations that look quite the same. When Toby first saw the new baby, he said, "Dang, it is my father." That makes four generations of the Baggett nose.
ReplyDeleteYour Pawpaw was a handsome guy.
Lou, I did see the post. I didn't leave a comment, but congrats all around! The fambly mark is upon him...
DeleteI took a more recent photo of you. Try this one.
ReplyDeletehttps://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/109630787730572392995/albums/5004470255035817729/5820534172680420002?authkey=COacpLT8uZLIPQ
Paul, I taken one of you and your buddies getting ready for the big event.
DeleteGod, I hate Flarda State pep rallies.
DeleteWell, if you hate 'em so much, quit attending.
DeleteYou could do much worse than lookin' like yer grandfather. As for the aging thing... it sure as hell beats the alternative. It's funny how time changes yer perspective; I used to believe that ol' "live fast, die young, leave a beautiful corpse." Then I got old...
ReplyDeleteIf Keef can do it, so can I.
Buck, I've seen you, and your looks beat the hell out of Keef's. As for me, I'm really not too much concerned about "the alternative." Never have been.
DeleteI guess I was blessed early on with an understanding of my own mortality. Of course, I'm only 53, and I guess that could change. But at this point, it ain't budging. In fact, some days, I think I'd prefer "the alternative."
Your PawPaw was indeed a handsome man and the apple didn't fall far from the tree.
ReplyDeleteIt could be worse. I was at the "beauty shop" (as my Mama used to say) a few months ago, in that awful lighting, and when I looked in the mirror, I saw my Daddy Gus's mouth. Not my Bee Mama's or my Nonnie's. My Daddy Gus's. Need I remind you that I'm a girl?
*sigh*
Moogie...thanks for the kind comments about Papaw's looks.
ReplyDeleteIf I were you, I would console myself with something like "Daddy Gus would have made a very pretty woman. Even though he was a helluva man, he had a feminine mouth."
But, that's just me.
BTW...your comments all end up in "spam."
i recently for the first time noticed that I have one of those cheek crease thingys. It has probably been there for quite some time, but I just noticed it. If I could combine it with that serous look you have in this pic, I think people would be less likely to mess with me. Jest sayin'.
ReplyDelete