Pawpaw

Where did the time go? Nobody knows. Pictures hang on the wall, breathing of roses. I dare to remember, the times back when, things were perfect! But all good things must end. I can see the garden, the berries and the swing, the big oak tree above, and the birds that loved to sing. We ride bikes, as my brothers throw the football, my dad standing outside yelling "Hey don't take too long y'all!" Down the street the dogs are barking, waiting for attention, while inside you pick and grin, while I sit at your feet and listen. The keys on the grand piano, are glistening black and white, you tell me not to stop playing, "you're doing it right!" Then she's calling me to the kitchen, to grab her up a pan, while the room fills with delicious smells, as I open up the cans. After we all eat, our tummys full and our eyes all weak, me and you are still awake, laughing 'til our faces ache. After the westerns end, and it's deep into the night, you wake me up to say my prayers, and then turn off all the lights. We go to her room, the teddy on the post, I squeeze its tummy, and it sings "sugar pie hunny bunch!" At last I go to the 'purple room', surrounded by a wall of dolls, while on the other side, vhs tapes stand towering tall. You come in, to tuck me in, while Ferngully plays low, I tell you how much I love you, and you smile as you go. And then as I fall asleep, looking up at the window, the moon is bright and the stars afire, the wind blowing the willow. Now as I open my eyes, remembering way back when, I wish that I could have one more time, to tell you you were my best friend. I'm looking at your picture, the smile on your face, happily confident in knowing, that you're in a much better place. It still hurts to this day, a stinging in my heart, to know that after you died, the family fell apart. You always told me, I'd be an amazing woman, and if anyone didn't think that way, one day I would show them. I wish I could have said goodbye, I wish I didn't have to cry, and as I sit here writing this, a tear rolls from my eye. If I had the chance to say, one more thing to you, I'd say exactly this, without delay: "I love you for everything you did, for being there, for being my best friend, without fail, you were always there, even until the very end. Nobody could ever replace you, you were the greatest man alive, I'll take those words to my grave, without a single doubt in mind. And to this day, I still remember, just about every word, I love and miss you enormously pawpaw, Love, your Laceybird."