four

four years ago today i lost my life's best friend and the only grandpa i'd ever known.

virgil logan drydale was my darling, gruff great-grandpa with a heart the size of texas. walking into their little house on lewis street, he'd always be sitting in his chair sipping on a pepsi or tall glass of cold milk. if pop wasn't there he could be found out in his backyard shop, wearing a pearl snap shirt and jean jacket with a sheep shearling collar, tinkering around with his tools. pop was a john wayne connoisseur - with about three copies of every JW cassette tape ever made - and a lover of all things western (which is why i'll be tuning into AMC's screening of JW's true grit today). i remember how paper thin his pocket handerchiefs were, how he'd wait outside the fairview avenue barber shop every saturday morning an hour before they opened (pop always had the freshest buzz cut), and how he cut the toes out of his expensive romeo shoes so his "feet could breathe".

when him and great-grandma were a little more mobile, we'd love passing them around town in their old chevy pick-up with their enormous boston terriers, partner and shadow, sitting on their laps. one time us three kids were running to the bank on a saturday morning and saw pop sitting in the truck at marth's IGA waiting for grandma. we scared the hell out of him popping up outside his window and set the dogs into a frenzy prompting a, "damnit! get DOWN!" to the pups. i would always kiss the top of his head when i came in and his stubbly cheek when i left and loved his crooked smile and sky blue eyes. pop was even responsible for my college decision. i just couldn't choose between seattle pacific and grace university in omaha but was sold on SPU when he told me, "there's too many damn chiggers" in nebraska.

that was a horrible day when he died. i never thought life would be remotely the same again and it hasn't been. four years later, something's still missing. i think of my pop every single day - whether it's when i see spencer wear his watch and glasses or when i carry his blue handkerchief in my pocket. now, more than anything, i want every thing i do to make pop proud and honor his legacy of hard work, integrity and love.

p.s. aren't they just adorable? 67 years of being best friends.