Annie Binns | Life in the Fun Lane

Since I have a fair amount of free time on my hands, it seemed obvious that when my grandpa needed help moving, I’d be an excellent candidate. He’s leaving the actual heavy lifting to the professionals, but the packing – that’s all me

My grandma passed away 10 years ago, and my grandpa has been doing a good job of living independently since then. For a guy who was born in 1922, he’s still pretty sharp and he’s darn funny.

I’ve been packing the strangest things. I think there’s something about having lived through the Great Depression that has left a generation of people who save everthing just in case it might come in handy in 2011. I’m not allowed to throw these things away. On Monday he wrestled a piece of cardboard away from me as I was headed for the trashbag. "Wait! I can use that!" Needless to say, I acquiesed immediately. Few things are less fun than wresling with an 86-year-old man.

As I was trying to organize and pack yet another "miscellaneous drawer", I found an empty paper-towel tube. Bearing in mind the cardboard experience, I looked it over carefully. On the outside was written, "Head of Christ".

Yes, imagine my surprise.

Unfortunately, the tube was empty. I went through the rest of the drawer looking for His Head. Nothing! Knowing I couldn’t just throw it away, I had to say these dreaded seven words:

"Grandpa, I’ve lost the Head of Christ."

Did I mention he’s a bit hard of hearing?

"WHAT????" he asked. Now, I can’t tell if this is shock at what I’ve said, or just that he didn’t hear it.

"Grandpa, I’ve lost THE HEAD OF CHRIST!" I yelled. This time I showed him the empty tube, looking through the vast interior that did not contain His, or any, head.

"The WHAT???" he asked, again. Then the lightbulb came on, almost as blinding as if His Head had actually appeared.

"OH! That was for the prints of my drawing," he said, pointing towards the portrait of Jesus that he made several decades ago. My grandpa is a very talented artist, and had just drawn Jesus from the neck up. Several family members wanted a copy, so he had stored extra prints rolled up inside this tube. Of course.

We’re saving the tube for 2011, but the fact that it’s marked Head of Christ may limit its potential.

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