The Blah, Blah, Blahg is having a month long give away series in February and I've entered a few of the drawings.
Today's was about inheritance -
Here's what I wrote:
oh - I wish that after my grandmother passed away that my parents could have kept a specific photo of my great grandfather.
My great grandfather was a wildcatter (the men who went out and found oil by their wits and knowledge of the land before geo sciences) and my grandmother had a portrait of him in an oil field, with the rocking horse style derricks. He was wearing his work gear and a hard hat. It was taken sort of National Geographic style, man in his element.
After my grandfather remarried, I did not see the photo again.
I think this is sort of strange object to want so strongly, as I never actually met the man. Both my great grand parents died before I was born. But it's the historical family connection that I want more than anything else.
I can no longer remember his heavily lined face clearly - but I remember how the photo was composed. He looked so strong and "take charge," and proud of the work he had done. He worked for Humble Oil as a wild catter for them. But he was a preacher before that and left the clergy when he fell in love with my great grandmother (or so the story goes in our family).
The South is not a place with open secrets - too many things lie hidden the dust. Shameful or brilliant they stay out of the sunlight, locked in the temples of the people who experienced them. You have to be a gossip, a journalist, or a mystery lover to pry the secrets out of the dark places. Since the photo is missing, to my knowledge, I feel like there are mysteries there that I need to know.
maybe I should call my great aunt.... She's the only one left alive who knows more than my father.
Today's was about inheritance -
Here's what I wrote:
oh - I wish that after my grandmother passed away that my parents could have kept a specific photo of my great grandfather.
My great grandfather was a wildcatter (the men who went out and found oil by their wits and knowledge of the land before geo sciences) and my grandmother had a portrait of him in an oil field, with the rocking horse style derricks. He was wearing his work gear and a hard hat. It was taken sort of National Geographic style, man in his element.
After my grandfather remarried, I did not see the photo again.
I think this is sort of strange object to want so strongly, as I never actually met the man. Both my great grand parents died before I was born. But it's the historical family connection that I want more than anything else.
I can no longer remember his heavily lined face clearly - but I remember how the photo was composed. He looked so strong and "take charge," and proud of the work he had done. He worked for Humble Oil as a wild catter for them. But he was a preacher before that and left the clergy when he fell in love with my great grandmother (or so the story goes in our family).
The South is not a place with open secrets - too many things lie hidden the dust. Shameful or brilliant they stay out of the sunlight, locked in the temples of the people who experienced them. You have to be a gossip, a journalist, or a mystery lover to pry the secrets out of the dark places. Since the photo is missing, to my knowledge, I feel like there are mysteries there that I need to know.
maybe I should call my great aunt.... She's the only one left alive who knows more than my father.
