Art & Inspiration Grandpa's Tools - A Short Story

Thanks for posting. This was a very good story. Things like this are always nice to read. I never met my grandparents. My dads dad died when he was 17 and my dad was the youngest of 13, 10 sisters and 2 brothers. Unfortunatly for my dad, he didn't get much of his dads belongings, just some picitures and a few odds and ends. My dad didn't really care much, but there was a rifle that my dad used to use for deer hunting that was his dads and he really hoped he'd get that. His oldest brother kept it and never really wanted my dad to have it. Dad didn't know why, but my uncle just wouldn't let him have it. This kind of made the two not very close after that.

My uncle never had any sons, just 3 daughters. Growing up I always worked with my dad. Him and my uncle were both loggers, and whenever my dad would go over to my uncles house I was usually with him. I always seemed to get along with my uncle, usually better than him and my dad. I'm not sure if it was because he never had a son of his own, or if it was because my dad named me after both my uncles. The one in this story is my uncle Albert, my first name and I got my uncle Donalds middle name as mine.

We used to hunt on some property that my uncle Albert owned, grandpas old farmland, and the second year that I was hunting I was in a blind close to one my uncle was in. Well, a buck came in and I watched it come into what I hoped was within range of the 410 shotgun I was hungting with, and I took a shot. My uncle had been watching me and the buck, hoping I was going to be able to get it....would have been my first deer. Well, I missed. I'm not sure if it was too far away, buck fever, or just plain bad aim, but I missed.

Shortly after my uncle came over to my blind to talk to me about it. He asked my how could I have missed that buck? I had no clue...just a bad shot or maybe I had buck fever I said laughing. The I said, probably because I have to use this shotgun. I told him my dad has a 30-06 but that is the only rifle he has and I've either got this 410 or my little 22. My uncle and I talked a little more about hunting in general, and he said someday you'll get that first one!

As dark fell, my dad came over to get me to head for home and he asked me if it was me that had shot earlier in the day. I told him yeah, I took a shot at one but missed it. Then I told him uncle Albert came over and give me a little guff about missing it...and that someday I'd get my first one. Dad looked over towards my uncles blind and noticed he wasn't there, then asked me where he was. I said that he had stepped out of his blind maybe 15-20 minutes ago, gave me a wave, then walked out. Dad and I started walking out of the woods towards the truck, we were talking and I commented to my dad that I might have had a better chance if I had a rifle to hunt with and that I would sell my 410 and save some extra money up to go with it so I could have him buy one for me.

He was explaining about how much a good rifle would cost, and I'd have to come up with a fair amount of money as the old 410 I had would be worth much, as we came out of the woods to where the truck was parked. We got in and started down the trail to the road. My uncle lives right across the street from where the trail comes out, and when we got to the road he was standing in his garage waving for us to come in. We pulled up to his garage, got out, and walked inside. I just knew he was gonna give me some more guff about missing that buck, but instead he walked over the the bench, picked up a gun, and walked it over to me.

As he handed it to me, he told me that this gun was his dads gun, and I could not have it but I was more than welcome to use it if I'd want to. I immediatly replied YES. I took it into my hands, and thanked my uncle as I looked it over. I could tell it was old. It had a lever action, add on adjustable peep sights. I thought it was awesome. On the ride home, my dad explained to me that this was the first rifle he had ever shot, that he had used it when he was younger and would go hunting with his dad. I didn't know until then that my dad had wanted that gun when his dad died but my uncle kept it for himself.

Well I used that gun every time I went deer hunting. I got my first buck that same year with it. As the years passed I never gave it much thought, but I still had the rifle and still used it to hunt with even though we had moved away from the area were I grew up at and my uncle still lived. Some time about 10 years ago, my uncle Albert had stopped down to visit my dad, and while they were visiting he asked my dad what ever happened to that rifle. That he never got it back, and remembered telling me that it was mine to use for hunting but it was not mine. Dad told him that he knew I still had it, and I still used it when I would go hunting. My uncle just replied with an oh, and that was it.

Shortly after that visit, my uncle passed away. We went to the funeral, and while we were there we were talking with his daughters when his oldest daughter told my dad and I that her dad had been sick for a little while before passing. He had asked her to be the executor of his estate. They had gotten a will drawn up, and while doing so he told her about "lending" me his dads rifle. She said he told her all about how her uncle Johnny, my dad, had always wanted that gun when her grandpa died, but he kept it for himself. He told her that he didn't know why, but he just didn't want him to have it. She said that he just stopped talking about it after that and went onto some other things. When they were about to call it done she asked him what about that rifle you loaned little Albert, what do you want to have happen with that? She said he sat there for a moment, then replied I want him to have it. It really should be his, that he knew Johnny would have given it to him.

Sorry that this reply got so long. Reading the story just got me thinking about my Grandpas rifle, and I just started typing away.

 

A well written and memory provoking pice for which you have my thanks.
If not for the Grandpas and Dads, whether car guys or not, what would we be?

 

Great story indeed , look on the main board for Warman special , same kinda thing cheers oggie

 

as I wipe the tears from my eyes This has made my day.
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Great story... makes me want to have kids and grand kids so I can maybe pass on my tools one day.

My grand father gave me his machinist tool box before he passed away. I think of him every time I see the box or go to use one of his old micrometers or dial indicators


Thanks for posting this

 

Thanks again everyone. You're really encouraging me to do more of this in the future. It's been about 15 years since I've written any sort of fiction.

 

Back when my grandson was going through a tough patch (parents getting divorced) he stayed with my wife and I for awhile. This was about three years ago, he was 7 at the time.

He likes to draw and I made sure he had pencils, paper, markers to work with and still encourage his artsy side.

Long story short, one morning my wife was fixing his lunch so I got a sheet of paper, drew a hot rod on it, and a note telling him how special he is to his grandma and me, and slipped it into his lunch box.

His dad told me he came home and the first thing he showed him was the note from Papa.

I left him quite a few over the next year, whenever he would sleep over and we would take him to school. Sometime last year the subject came up and his dad told me he still has them tucked away.

He's ten now and everything has settled down and been worked out, he's a good student and still likes to sleep over at Grandmas and Papas house.

In these days of instant messages, e-mails, and tweets, don't forget the power a hand written note can have.

Great Story.

 

Excellent.

 

As I'm now 72 this story you wrote brings many memories to me. My grandfather was a pattern maker and around 1910 he made the original wood patterns for the Stoddard Dayton engine. Thru the years he became a drunk & divorced. During the years from 1910 thru 1920 he made many wooden puzzles and usually signed and dated each one. I have all the puzzles he made in a small suitcase.

When he died my father got his original tool box. It includes many hand made tools. I have passed it to my oldest son.

I have a 7 year diary my grandfather kept for the years 1930 thru 1937. Thru the depression work was hard to find so he did whatever he could do to earn a nickle. Entries in his diary include "replaced a screen for missus Davis made 25 cents". He died a lonely death at a rooming house.

Thanks again for the beautiful story.

Jim

 

Thanks.
Beautiful story.

I'm another one: Grandpa's tools in the garage. My father-in-law's (who had no sons) tools too.

 

Good story. Kinda reminds you how important it is to tell the ones you love how much they mean to you. My dad went missing at age 88 in Oct. 2000 and we never found him or his car. Never got to tell him goodbye and I still think about him every day.
Thanks for posting.

 

Bravo! Excellent story.

 

Very good stories and excellent thread.
I came accross the Lumidor tool box my dad bought me when I was 17.
At 54 I'm surprised I still have it as I've re-stuffed a few times throught my life.

 

Great Story. My grandfather was an automotive machinist and mechanic from the 1920s through the 1970s. I have all of his tools, parts, and miscellaneous stuff which is enough to fill a 1-bay garage, wall-to-wall and floor to ceiling. I was the only family member interested in it and now it's all I have to remember him by. Whenever I take hold of one of his tools I contemplate and appreciate my roots over and over again.

 

Nice.

For those of us who have our Fathers and Grandfathers tools, it really puts into words what we feel when we open that tool box and touch each tool.

Well written.

 

Truely a grate story. As I sit and read this I think of my Dad. You see he's in the hospital in ICU he just had a bypass in his heart. So this truely touches my heart I'm sure my Dads going to be alright. again thanks for this I need it....

 

You should do more of this. you should also post this on the writers board group (as well as join the group). http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/group.php?groupid=343

Cool story, looking forward to more!

 

my grandad died when I was 2 yrs old, dad didn't stick around in the 50s. I have a son but he has no interest, several grand sons, but no interest either. I guess thats why I'm selling most of my stuff.
Great story, I think it would be good if the story tellers on here would join up and put together a pamplet/book like this. C9 had some good ones also.

 

Great story!

Hey Toner, I've only been hanging around this site for years, thanks for the heads up on the Writer Board, fantastic stuff there as well.

 

thats too bad, my dad is in north georgia, and i'm in south so I don't get to see him very often he got me into cars to begin with, don't give up on your son, hold on to your stuff. He may appreciate it some day.

 

Bassfire, sorry to hear this about your dad. I could not imagine what you have been going through. My sincere condolences to you and your family.

 

Don't be surprised if I borrow bits of some of these replies the next time I write something. Everyone has a story.

 

Thanks for that...............
I miss my grandfather as well.
Mine could work rings around me, and was handier than I ever could be.
He could build anything, or fix anything.
but I ended up being the car mechanic of the family.

I have my share of mementos from my grandfather........including some tools, and his 73 T-bird that he gave me in 1978 ehen they offered him next to nothing for it on trade in. T-Bird just turned 40,000 miles this year. Still love driving it.

 

Lovely story Vorhese. Reminded of my Grandpa's tools. He farmed with horses/mules. Tools all in a leather pouch he hung on the lead horse's harness. Loop of whang-string over the outside hame. Contents; Fencing pliers, hoof knife and hook, jackknife, awl, and his chew(RedMan, Beechnut?)

 

Great Story, thanks for the post.

 

Vorhese, that was a wonderful read, thanks. My Dad gave me my grandfathers snap on box several years ago.

 

Very touching story, hit close to home. Keep up the good work!

 

kool story and written well. I still have my ol mans tools and I'm 65 they will go to my son.....

 

Very well written. Thanks

This brought a tear to my eye. We lost our son in Feburary to a car wreck. Now every time I work in the garage I find myself useing his tools before I grab for one of mine. I have a grandaughter 12 & grandson 9 who both like to work in the garage. I make it a point to tell them when we do something that we are useing dads hammer or dads wrenches. It just make me feel closer to him as we where not always close when he was here.

 

I never got my Grandfathers tools.....