Death of a Part-time Actor/Carpenter

My girl and I were walking towards the bus stop the other night, when the news broke.

My grandfather died.

I suffered a horrendous headache, after receiving the SMS from my mother. It was probably from the shock of it all. I never TRULY expected that he’d die, because I thought he was still too strong to let go of this world.

He was a man of many things. He was a carpenter. He likes building and making things. I remember him making our cabinets. After varnishing the wood, he would place kiddie stickers on it. It was like his own little trademark. When I see those kiddie stickers, I would remember the smile he had–proud of his handiwork, knowing that we would be happy receiving them as gifts. We still use those cabinets to this day.

I also remember him telling this humorous story about his experience working for the film industry. He was an extra in a war movie. He played a Japanese soldier, fighting the Filipino rebels in Manila. When he got shot by one of the leading men, he would fall down and do the “spasm” dance. Once out of camera range, he would stand up and fight the same guy again. Thus, the Japanese army was born out of four men. They didn’t need no CGI then! LOLZ!!

He died young (70). But he left a lot of things behind as a testament to his contributions. He left my mother, my brother and I. In May, my daughter will be one of his contributions as well. Thanks Grandpa.