A Promise Kept

          I had amazing grandparents as a kid and I remember them fondly for different reasons. My mother's mom who we called "Grandma Irma" never had a mean bone, but I think I brought her best side out when I made faces at her during church. If she had not been such a non violent christian woman, I believe that bible may have hit me in the head a few times.  It's funny what memories from childhood a person really vividly recalls. A fond memory of my dad's mom, Grandma Bessie, was her calling to tell me my favorite television show was on and she didn't want me to forget. I always loved Beauty and the Beast (the 1980's TV version) and she knew it.
           Some of my best memories were of my Uncle Greg, my father's brother. Uncle Greg lived up north in Pennsylvania and when I would hear he was stopping by (he was a trucker), I would get so excited. He was never the most wealthy person, but had the biggest heart and I have to admit I loved his northern accent. As I grew up, I wanted him at my wedding so badly. When he called and was unable make it, it broke both our hearts. When we opened the card for our wedding from him, inside we found a $100.00, money I knew he really couldn't afford to send us, but he did. I did not have to see him daily, I didn't have to talk to him all the time, but I knew he loved me.
           After our wedding, Chris and I would travel to New York through the years to see my father-in-law. We always drove back through Pennsylvania to see Uncle Greg on the way back to Georgia. I am thankful for the fond memories of those short stops to eat dinner and chit chat. He was always just as excited to see me as I was him.
           One of the worst moments in my life was the day my parents and Chris sat me down to tell me Greg had cancer. I was broken hearted and there was no consoling me. After Chris and I left my parents house that night, I vowed to get it together before I called to talk to my uncle. When the time came and I thought I had built up enough courage to make through the conversation without crying, I dialed the number. I still remember him answering and my courage lasting all of two seconds before the tears came and I found him comforting me about what was to come.
            He moved to Georgia, not long after we spoke and spent the rest of his days with all of us. He had decided not to fight it and to just let things happen, he knew he didn't have much time. I didn't realize until after his passing that he had even had someone get a horse calendar for him and bragged to his hospice nurse about his niece and how much she loved to ride horses. Before he died he  promised even when he wasn't still on earth, he would still be here for me.
            The other night I saw Uncle Greg's wallet in my drawer and was thinking about what he would have put in our IVF fund. I wanted to see his picture again, so I pulled out his drivers license and read it. I have gone through that wallet several times since he died in 2007, but this time when I opened it I noticed something else, an old twenty dollar bill. I sat in the floor and for awhile just let the tears come, I knew Uncle Greg was making sure the promise he made was a promise kept.