Being a frustrated but genial kid in my child hood, my grand parents were another source of frustration for me at times but dare I say, my grandma has been one of my ardent supporters and critiques. Being a homemaker, she has very limited real world experience other than providing food for the family and eking out a place in the family tree hierarchy.
Grandpa died of prostate cancer 10 or 11 years back (damn my time keeping skills) but she still stood strong. Now she is 82 years old, hard of hearing, trying hard to maintain her status in the family, still steadfastly putting up a meek fight in the power struggle battles with mother and enduring mockingly exaggerated but caring attentions from dad. And she's still got my back.
To think that we can't spare a few thousand to get her treated for her ear condition sounds pathetic indeed. Well, dad refuses to acknowledge that she has any significant hearing problems. It has come to the point where we have to repeat everything we say to my grandma about 3 times. She is always responding to other conversations as if the questions were directed at her. And she's still out there in the kitchen irrespective of the weather, day in and day out still doing her long-paid-up part for the family.
Myself and my sis did promise to have her checked up soon enough. Hope that materializes soon. I really hope that we can do something before my sis's marriage but i am not sure. but i do hope. I have always been a libertarian believing in 'the best man for the best job' adage. If you are sharp, alert, resourceful and helpful, you are respected. Otherwise strangers despise or ignore you and family members chide you. Love and affection are simply error margins to the above treatment. It is indeed disheartening for us to see her commit silly mistakes inviting 'playful' ridicule from all in the family including yours truly. I had tried to show her through real world responses when she seems to act 'stupidly' or says 'stupid' things or does not abide by conversational or personal space rules in general but it all seems to go right about her head. I never judge her but I guess she is slowly taking a few hints at this age. This is all for her good IMO. The enduring power struggle between a emotionally trigger happy mother and a nosy grandmother is indeed an ugly thing. It is literally a fight till death (not caused by the fight itself of course :)).
Before I ramble more, I'll conclude by wishing her that her aims in the, dare i say, fag end of her life are fulfilled and she gets to participate well in my sis's marriage and is there for many more events to come.
