Art & Inspiration For Ever Young- a Thanksgiving short story-

Howza Folks!
Whether you are elbows deep in stuffing the bird, holding down the couch or have a cold one in one hand and a turkey leg in the other, here's wishing the very best to you and yours on this Thanksgiving Holiday.
Here is a short story I wrote about a '62 Country Squire and a journey back from Dementia.
Enjoy!


FOREVER YOUNG



My Grandma had been living for about a year in the home. I knew that with everyday that passed, without her things, her real home that her mind would continue to slide away. Nothing hurt more than visiting her and having her forget my name. Not recognize me. Dad assured me it was the sands of time erasing her life but, she knew that these “strangers” were once someone she held dear. So, I began to read, research. I created a plan and that was when I ventured out to her property and with my Dad’s permission I had Fey towed to my shop.

Ah, Fey. In my family she was known as the white 1962 Ford Country Squire station wagon. The first new car that Grandpa had ever purchased for her and she loved it. The beautiful then new car was parked on the showroom floor of Bob Jones Skyland Ford. Under the showroom lights the car looked like a dream. She had been driving a ’52 Mercury sedan and had it til they had married. Now that she was a new bride and had a little one on the way, Grandad stepped up and had his eyes on a new car for her that would be roomy and look great and have that new V8 power. The Galaxie had a 390, power everything. Spacious and with a tri colour interior of white, black and red was an attractive contrast to the white and wood grain exterior. As her family grew ( they ended up with 5 kids) Grandma kept up on the maintenance and had the wagon taken care of. When my Dad left the nest at 18 to go to college, and most of us grandchildren were out of state, Grandad purchased Grandma a then new Vega and Fey was put out to pasture.



Life is a freeway. Hell, I call it a speedway really. Years as a child crawl but as you age, a work week, month or year, just become an endless loop and a blur. As time does, it takes away from us memories, friends and family. Grandad passed as did most of my uncles. Grandma was placed in a home and I knew it was just a matter of time. But, I had a plan, ya see, as I said earlier in my tale here, sometimes a mind once considered gone or slipping away can be brought back. All it would take was a string of sparks. Visuals that the person once loved and knew to bring them back. You see, I loved my Grandma, and knew she had some more spark in her and that was when the restoration of Fey began.



My goal was a fast one. I had Fey towed to my place in February of that year. With the help of friends and local businesses, my crazy idea came to fruition. During the restoration on a stormy night in May, I opened the glovebox and found a handwritten note tucked away.

It read-

To my beloved Mamie, the love of my life, this car I purchased for you to take our kids to school and more. I will take care of her as I will you. Her name is Fey. In my mind Fey means For Ever Young. As you will always be to me.” -George

I reread the note a handful of times and did so til my eyes awash in tears could not do so. I carefully placed the handwritten note back and knowing the amount of work left to do, I attacked it with a new purpose.

Fey was a secret. My family was kept away from my shop and the great unveil would happen on Thanksgiving. See, a large family like mine has these amazing traditions. For the most part, it is all about the celebration of us as a whole, a unit. Kids are asked to put away the phones and video games. Enjoy one another. Share and listen. Eat, talk, laugh. Watch the game (GO BRONCOS), play cards. As we had for decades again we would meet at my Aunt’s home in North Denver. The table would slowly growing with the gifts brought everyone.

At 8 Thanksgiving morning I pulled up to the home. Fey was like a dream. Her bright white paint just shined. Newly polished stainless and chrome shined like a young man’s dream. Her interior was like it had been in 1962. The faux wood sides added to the restored time machine. The mighty 390 burbled and sang her song from the twice pipes. I let her idle as the nurse brought Grandma curbside. I was dressed to the nines as I always did and stepped out to take my Grandma’s hand and open her door. She looked at me and smiled then she looked at the ’62.

She gasped “Fey!” I smiled. “Yes Grandma, she is back, let’s go for a ride.”

I took the backroads to my Aunt’s home. I drove fey past old Denver landmarks and slowly Grandma started to tell me stories of where we were. Civic Center, the Capital building. We drove past a boarded up old bar and Grandma laughed and told a story of her and Grandad and my Aunt Stella and one crazy night. She turned to me and her eyes lit up. “Oh, Michael, look at you so grown up! Driving my Fey! “

We rode along and as we got closer to my Aunt’s home and Thanksgiving dinner Grandma sat and rubbed her hands together. “Mikey-will they all be there” She asked. I nodded. “Yes Grandma. Cousins, my parents, my brother and sister. “Oh- well. Can I at least drive Fey to Barb’s?” I smiled and said of course. My guts tightened. Grandma had not driven for decades. She had been in the home for over a year. But- Well, I had not seen her alive like this for years. I relinquished the driver’s seat. She scooted over and we moved the bench forward. I pulled my phone out and sent a text to my Dad. –HAVE THE FAMILY OUTSIDE- SURPRISE COMING- was all I sent.



Grandma swung the big ol’ wagon off of 23rd and drove her down Perry street. We sat across from my Aunt’s home and the street was lined with family. A cheer was let out as Grandma drove across and parked Fey. She parked and stepped out.

“Dinner can wait, Who wants a ride?”

I have read that with dementia that at times all it takes is a single thing to bring someone back and on that Thanksgiving day, with that big beautiful Country Squire wagon, Grandma came back to us.

-Written by Mark “Spooky” Karol-Chik Oct 10, 2019

 

Why is my keyboard wet?

Chris

 

Good story and Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

 

Well done. Thanks. Best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving!

 

That was a great story thanks for sharing and happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

 

Thank you so much for sharing!

 

Beautiful. Thanks.

 

Very NICE....THANKS

 

Thanksgiving is about love and family.... You did well... I wish all Grandma's could remain forever Young....

 

Spooky what a great story.
Thank you for sharing.
Have any pictures of gram and the restored Ford?

 

Always respect the elderly and their dreams, for some day we will be them.

 

Say buddy, this was just a fiction story I created. At All American Classics where I work, we have a '62 we are parting out and it reminded me of family stories and well, the story wrote itself.

 

You are not kidding. I miss mine very much.

 

Dammit Spooky! Here I got tears blurring my eyes and then you tell me it was all bullshit. Great story. Thank you.

 

Well done Spooky...……….you may have missed your calling.
Enjoy Thanksgiving and thanks for the touching story albeit fictional.

 

Ah man, just me remembering my grandma as she went into dementia and my love of wagons. I did not mean to take folks down a faux memory, but just a gift of story telling is all.

 

Spooky, you are one heck of a great author. That was one great story. Thanks and have a great Thanksgiving!


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That's got Hallmark written all over it!

 

Beautiful story,,,,you had me ,,until you let grandma drive Fey.
She hadn’t drove in decades,,,,,,still a very pleasant story.

Tommy

 

Great one, Spooky. Great one.

Ben

 

Does my heart good to see respect shown to elders. Happy Thanksgiving.

 

Spooky, your short story made my allergies act up a bit.
My father is going through dementia, and is likely not to be at home much longer. He is kind of like a big kid, only you can't discipline him because the lesson won't last if you tried. It is getting to be too much for my mother to handle.
But my 40, and Bob, my 33, bring a lot out in him when they are around. He knows all about them, even if he doesn't remember that he has seen them before.
Last year, I let him drive my 40. I swear he was 17 again for a bit. It was amazing. I got scolded when we pulled in to the folk's house with him driving, but he did great.
Thank you for your writing. There is a truth there that many do not know.

 

Yep! Just as I imagined her to be!!

 

Croc, man, I am so sorry to hear about your Pop. But, I am very glad you liked my story.

 

Thanks everyone who liked or commented on my Thanksgiving tale. During the month of December I will post 4 Christmas themed short stories. I hope you will enjoy those as well.

 

My wife of 50 plus years has Parkinson,s and dementia. Both are so unkind. We struggle part of every day and enjoy what we can. Later Bill

 

Great Story of Hope, Love, and Shiny Old Cars...Thanks for sharing this @Spooky

 

Thank you @Spooky for another wonderful story. I look forward each year to reading them, and like the rest , you did not disappoint. Happy Holidays to you and yours.

 

Great story Spooky. Thank you.


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