|
It was 1990 and I was in college, the second summer session. It was a Friday, and my Western Civ I class was meeting (for some reason) in the library that day. It was around 10:30 that morning (Texas time) when I got the strange feeling that my grandparents, who lived in San Diego, were going to call me that evening. It was strange because they always called me on Monday nights.
A bit of backstory - my grandfather was at this point dying of cancer. My mom had come up between summer sessions to let me know he had been given six months to live. My grandfather was/is my hero; my oldest son, born in 1997, has his name. I was supposed to go out there between Summer II and Fall semesters and spend some time with him and my grandmother (he didn't want me to interrupt my school to come out and see him before the break - I have always regretted that I did not do so).
Anyway, I continued with class, and afterward,went to my job as a lifeguard at the campus pool. After work, I was on the phone chatting with my upstairs neighbor, talking about where we wanted to go for dinner that night after I took my shower and such.
All of a sudden, the phone beeped (I lived in a campus apartment and we didn't have call waiting). I told Kristina to hold on and I answered the phone. It was UPD (University Police Department) telling me I needed to call home immediately. I knew right then and there.
My grandfather had passed away that morning, 7:30 San Diego time, 10:30 Texas time. I firmly believe that when I was in class that morning, my grandfather was trying to tell me he had passed.
|