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Show SOUTHERN UTAH NEWS WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 28. 1994 Community My Domestic Blitz 7 Grandpa Jones silver-haire- d By Maria Jones Editors note: Maria wrote this in honor of her grandpa, Legrand B Dixie Brunner Jones, whom many of you knew. Making sweet (?) music Mom, theres a band parents says that Im responsible for meeting tonite, announced our impaired children. middle school son as he flew This comes from a woman who through the kitchen. We cant is an accomplished pianist, but miss it. would never teach her own chilI Why would go to a band dren because she said she didnt parents meeting when none of have enough patience. I plead guilty to the charge of my children play an instrument? I questioned aloud, thoroughly accustomed to talking to myself. After waiting a few moments for an answer, I called to our son,is there a reason I should go, or am I missing something? I signed up to play an instrument, he called through the door. Thats great, honey, I responded excitedly. Finally, after having two sons who regard band and music with the same enthusiasm they reserve for spinach and liver, I have a son who wants to be in band. (The Hallelujah chorus goes off in my head. ) What instrument did you sign up for? Well, at first I wanted to play the drums like you did, he said. Drums are great fun, I told him. But they do have their drawbacks I thought to myself, when you march behind horses in the parades. The percussion section had been a perfect place y youth-ther- e for me in my were eight boys and I. But they had too many kids sign up for drums, he said boy-craz- mat-ter-of-fact- thats too bad. decided that I should Then try the saxophone, because its a chick magnet. What do you mean? Remember that one movie where the girls all really liked the boy because he played the saxophone? Oh, I Thats a pretty shallow' reason for wanting to play an in- strument Kyle.T chastised. 'Quit criticizing, our kids don't have to know all our shortcomings. Heaven knows they have enough on us already!) doesnt matter, the saxophone section was filled too, he said. Im sorry, so what did you end up with flute or tuba? Trumpet, he responded, as he proudly showed me his bright, shiny instrument. And itll be ours after only 58 convenient monthly payments. Great. The whole band thing brings up a serious conflict between my mother and I. Lets just say weve definitely been out of harmony on this subject. Mom thinks our four sons are She too athletically-inclined- . It musical negligence-kin- d of. You cant teach your kids what you dont know yourself. They say a child learns what he lives, (by the way, have you ever wondered who they are, and who made them the parenting authority?) If the parents are in to outdoors and hunting, etc., the kids probably will be also. If the mom or dad are athletically-inclined- , like my husband in our case, our sons first word was ball.Tts the old Sound of Music theory, only whenever I try to sing, Climb Every Mountain my family throws things at me. But as for our sons musical upbringing, they didnt stand much of a chance. Dont get me wrong-- I can play a mean Chopsticks on the piano, and belt out one heck of a shower aria, but as for any real musical exposure or training, theyre out of luck. So I really admire our son for signing up for band, and I want to support him in any way I can. Da...da...da.da.da.da. Kyle, arent you playing awfully loud? Ive got to practice mom. But its six oclock in the morning. Da...da...da.da.da.da. He cant hear me, but I guess sleep is a small price to pay to foster a budding musician. Do that thing with your teeth! Please Grandpa! Out came some dentures, and back in they went. I tried to get my teeth to do that, but they wouldn't. I didnt know then that Grandpas teeth were false. His thin lips were semidry, his mouth surrounded by wrinkles. His face seemed stem and rarely did he crack a smile, but the twinkle in his baby-blu- e eyes and shine of his beautiful silver hair showed that there was life under the concrete face. I felt something on my right shoulder. I looked and saw nothing. My left shoulder nothing. It wasnt only that, alongwith squeez- wooden checker board watching ing my knees with his firm grip, he move after move. Even though I would tickle me until I almost cried. cheered for the person playing, I Grandpa would grab my nose with hoped that he, or she, would not the knuckles of his index and win. I wanted the glory of beatmiddle fingers. As he pulled his ing Grandpa. I only remember fingers away from my nose, he winning once I think he let me of his win. Looking back, just playing would place the back-sid- e thumb between his fingers. He him was the best part. told me that he had my nose. BeGrandpa was a great father. cause it looked real to me, I quickly When he was a sheepherder, he felt my face to make sure I still had would take his four boys out to a nose. When I spoke, and then Scootempah where the family paused for a small breath, I heard, land was. By day he taught them Whats the matter? Cat got your how to work hard, and by night he tongue? The break in speaking taught them about the stars. Late and being interrupted let my m ind at night, Grandpa would wake wander and I forgot what I was them up to show them a special saying. I could endure his teasing star that only the night hawks for hours. Because Grandpa never could see. Sometimes he would said much, it was his special way wake them up to have them listen to something unique, like the of saying, I love you. hooves of a deer near by. His love of had sense a Grandpa great of nature easily rubbed onto my room the timing. Whenever would quiet down, he would start father, who in turn showed me the stars and made me listen. in with a song: When I was young and in my These times are some of the best that I have spent with my father. prime, I chased the girls all the time. Now Im old and getting gray, I only chase them once a day. He didnt just sing. I remember spending summer afternoons in the house watching and playing checkers. I sat by the old J Richard NEGUS for Commish January 1992 was the beginning of the end. He had a seizure that paralyzed him. At first, Grandma tried to take care of him, but that resulted in her falling and breaking her hip. He was moved to a nursinghome. I didnt see him much after that, even though he was still in Kanab. I le couldnt move or talk, but I knew he heard everything that we said. One day in early I dropped by to spring, mid-arclike be hi nice to granddaughsay ters are supposed to. I ended up talking about the weather and how nice it was getting. I looked over to see tears streaming down his wrinkled face. I had never seen Grandpa cry before. h, In July he died, one week before my birthday. As family came and went, we recounted all that Grandpa stood for and stories that we remembered. At the funeral I sang with two of my sisters, 111 say that I love, and often times think of, that silver-haire- d daddy of mine. Columbus and miss discovering "Pizza Night" o r at the Hidden Garden Restaurant L Monday, October 10, 1994 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. A 12 V Pizza Tossed Green Salad for 2 Dessert for 2 for $12.95 f Additional pizza $8 each For "to go" pizza - place order by 3 p.m. on October 10 for pick-u- p that evening nssamaiQiBQE |