Me Talk Pretty Sometimes Anecdotal Essay
Shannon Stull
Mr. RoehrleAP Lang
September 24, 2014
Thanksgiving Football
Holiday to me, mean well needed time spent with my family. Now, don’t get me wrong, I see my family a lot- I just don’t see all of them at once. Thanksgiving 2011 brought my family together more than it usually would. It was the year after we had lost my grandfather, and his brother in-law Richard (or Uncle Dickey as my cousins and I called him) had terminal lung cancer, with his health deteriorating quickly. Uncle Dickey was married to my grandfather’s sister, Lois. Pappy and Aunt Lois had the closest relationship of their nine siblings, and they were the youngest. Though Pappy’s family didn’t have very much money growing up, they always had each other. That’s why family was so important to me, because I was taught even when you have next to nothing; your family will be next to you. And so, losing my grandfather and finding out my Uncle was terminal, it felt like I was losing every one.
2011 was a rough year. It was the full of firsts, but not good firsts. It was the first year without my grandfather; Christmas, birthdays, Easter, concerts, games, everything. In February we found out Uncle Dickey was terminal; the doctors said they’d give him six months to live, max. Then eight months later we sat in my grandmothers garage, talking and playing cards as it is a Stull family tradition, with Uncle Dickey. My cousins who live in Rehoboth even came down that year; I couldn’t remember the last time I had seen them, before that. We all knew it was probably the last time we were all going to be together with Uncle Dickey. When I got bored of watching them play cards- which didn’t take very long, I went inside to watch Thanksgiving Day football. Once I was inside, I was surprised to see Uncle Dickey sitting on the couch by himself watching the Cowboys and the Dolphins pregame. Even though he had an oxygen tank and couldn’t walk without a cane, his mental state had not declined. I asked if
Mr. RoehrleAP Lang
September 24, 2014
Thanksgiving Football
Holiday to me, mean well needed time spent with my family. Now, don’t get me wrong, I see my family a lot- I just don’t see all of them at once. Thanksgiving 2011 brought my family together more than it usually would. It was the year after we had lost my grandfather, and his brother in-law Richard (or Uncle Dickey as my cousins and I called him) had terminal lung cancer, with his health deteriorating quickly. Uncle Dickey was married to my grandfather’s sister, Lois. Pappy and Aunt Lois had the closest relationship of their nine siblings, and they were the youngest. Though Pappy’s family didn’t have very much money growing up, they always had each other. That’s why family was so important to me, because I was taught even when you have next to nothing; your family will be next to you. And so, losing my grandfather and finding out my Uncle was terminal, it felt like I was losing every one.
2011 was a rough year. It was the full of firsts, but not good firsts. It was the first year without my grandfather; Christmas, birthdays, Easter, concerts, games, everything. In February we found out Uncle Dickey was terminal; the doctors said they’d give him six months to live, max. Then eight months later we sat in my grandmothers garage, talking and playing cards as it is a Stull family tradition, with Uncle Dickey. My cousins who live in Rehoboth even came down that year; I couldn’t remember the last time I had seen them, before that. We all knew it was probably the last time we were all going to be together with Uncle Dickey. When I got bored of watching them play cards- which didn’t take very long, I went inside to watch Thanksgiving Day football. Once I was inside, I was surprised to see Uncle Dickey sitting on the couch by himself watching the Cowboys and the Dolphins pregame. Even though he had an oxygen tank and couldn’t walk without a cane, his mental state had not declined. I asked if