I hear the sound of clinks grow as my pursuer closes the distance. I can feel the piercing blue eyes bore into my back. As the sound of the clinking grows, I catch a glimpse of leopard fur in my peripheral vision. Nails dig in to my back and the leopard fur engulfs me as I turn to face my pursuer. When I am released, I am face to face with my grandmother, Mema, looking the same as I have always remembered.
Janice Grattidge is a commanding presence that rarely goes unnoticed. Wig askew, a smile of pure joy stretched across her face, eyes crinkled, and wrists waving in air, she reaches for a second hug. Clink, clink, clink. Every finger is adorned by extravagant jewels, bracelets climb up to her elbows, and a neck wrapped in beads. These …show more content…
Every week I have a two hour phone conversation with my grandma to catchup on the latest family scandal, gossip, and the classic ‘who isn’t talking to who and why,’ a perpetual cycle within a large family. Hours go by, filled with lessons on how to deal with boys and those ‘pesky whisker burns,’ old stories, life lessons, heart to hearts, and tears of laughter. Throughout our hours of conversation and bonding, the faint hum of QVC sales representatives are with us until the wee hours of the morning. My grandmother is a VIP platinum member of QVC, and most likely their most loyal customer since the conception of their program. Not a single QVC product deal sneaks by Janice Grattidge. Her entire DVR settings are full with recordings of product specials and deals that were missed while running errands and being away from the home. Mema has not left her house to purchase a gift since the early 1980s. Every single day, a package is delivered to their door step, and Mema smiles and hugs her dear friend and UPS worker. Every being who is acquainted with my grandmother has received a gift shipped directly from QVC. The two pampered mutts who reside with my grandparents receive monthly packages courtesy …show more content…
I pass the line of wigs, open the closet door, push aside at least twenty four fur coats, and dig to the back of the closet to pull out a five drawer jewelry dresser. After much force to open the overflowing drawer, I see a pile of rings. Rings, rings, rings. The entire dresser is filled with rings. I look to my extravagant Mema for an explanation for owning hundreds of rings, and I find my answer before it leaves my lips. The woman before me is dressed in a sequin blouse, snake print tights, UGG boots, a fur shawl, a wig, and at least twenty items of jewelry… and she has yet to venture past her front door today. As Papa stifles a cough in the neighboring room, Mema adjusts her wig, looks at me and shrugs, “Fur coats and jewelry were meant to be worn,” she laughs. “Who doesn’t want to look good?!” In that moment, I see my grandparents for the first
Janice Grattidge is a commanding presence that rarely goes unnoticed. Wig askew, a smile of pure joy stretched across her face, eyes crinkled, and wrists waving in air, she reaches for a second hug. Clink, clink, clink. Every finger is adorned by extravagant jewels, bracelets climb up to her elbows, and a neck wrapped in beads. These …show more content…
Every week I have a two hour phone conversation with my grandma to catchup on the latest family scandal, gossip, and the classic ‘who isn’t talking to who and why,’ a perpetual cycle within a large family. Hours go by, filled with lessons on how to deal with boys and those ‘pesky whisker burns,’ old stories, life lessons, heart to hearts, and tears of laughter. Throughout our hours of conversation and bonding, the faint hum of QVC sales representatives are with us until the wee hours of the morning. My grandmother is a VIP platinum member of QVC, and most likely their most loyal customer since the conception of their program. Not a single QVC product deal sneaks by Janice Grattidge. Her entire DVR settings are full with recordings of product specials and deals that were missed while running errands and being away from the home. Mema has not left her house to purchase a gift since the early 1980s. Every single day, a package is delivered to their door step, and Mema smiles and hugs her dear friend and UPS worker. Every being who is acquainted with my grandmother has received a gift shipped directly from QVC. The two pampered mutts who reside with my grandparents receive monthly packages courtesy …show more content…
I pass the line of wigs, open the closet door, push aside at least twenty four fur coats, and dig to the back of the closet to pull out a five drawer jewelry dresser. After much force to open the overflowing drawer, I see a pile of rings. Rings, rings, rings. The entire dresser is filled with rings. I look to my extravagant Mema for an explanation for owning hundreds of rings, and I find my answer before it leaves my lips. The woman before me is dressed in a sequin blouse, snake print tights, UGG boots, a fur shawl, a wig, and at least twenty items of jewelry… and she has yet to venture past her front door today. As Papa stifles a cough in the neighboring room, Mema adjusts her wig, looks at me and shrugs, “Fur coats and jewelry were meant to be worn,” she laughs. “Who doesn’t want to look good?!” In that moment, I see my grandparents for the first