A Special Relationship


Poppa and Tim Thanksgiving Day is always a big day in the Surbey household. This year we and the four boys went to the lake. It was cold. It rained, snowed, and thunder stormed. Quite a mixed bag of weather.

Poppa turned 97 years old this past August and we wanted to make sure we had a very special picture of him with Timothy. Poppa always refers to Timothy as the one who doesn't speak. There is a story that goes along with it.

About three and one half years ago, we went to the lake for a month shortly after Vince's heart attack. He was not teaching for the rest of that year, and we were able to get away. Timothy was four at the time. One day, he was missing. Vince, Nana and I searched frantically for him. We are right on the lake shore, and although Tim wasn't real interested in swimming in the lake, he certainly could have fallen off the embankment.

I fully believe in Mother's instincts at times, and I had this strong urge to head towards Poppa's shed. The door was closed, but I heard Poppa talking in there and opened the door quietly. There was Tim "talking" to Poppa and Poppa talking back as if he understood every word. Then they would get very silent and just look at each other. It was so neat.

This year Tim is talking a great deal more, but is still hard to understand, and Poppa's memory is failing. However, he does remember Timothy. And he always refers to Tim as the "One who doesn't speak."


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Written by Val Surbey - October 17, l997