During the many times we play cribbage grandpa sings these old songs that are way before my time and then asks if I remember the song. He does this to everyone and it's the cutest thing. As he says about Hudson...grandpa "has all of his marbles." He remembers so much more than I ever could. I can't remember anything from 8 years or younger...or I'd really have to sit and think about it. He has the most interesting life to me.
On a side note: I think everyone should keep some kind of diary. I've never been more interested in finding out what grandpa has to say about his life and all that he has been through. Even though most people will say "I have all my memories in my head" you'd be surprised on who wants to know about those memories and the connection you feel when you know about something you weren't around for.
So, without asking grandpa a billion questions. This is what he told me and has told me before but this time, I wrote it down. :)Petrina Peterson (grandpa's mom) was a missionary in South Africa in the early 1900s. His father Eugen Ruf (pronounced Oy-gan) left Germany and went to South Africa. They met in Cape Town (bottom tip of Africa). They migrated to NY in1908. The next year Grandpa and his twin (Walter Johan Ruf) were born in April. Yes...that's 1909! Can you even imagine? Grandpa is 1 of 5 brothers. I'm missing a name but there's Walter Johan, Eugene Peter, Norman Lloyd, and Alf Rufus.
At age 12 grandpa lost his mom, dad and baby brother (Norman Lloyd) to the Spanish Influenza Pandemic. Three days in a row respectively. Once again, I can't imagine being around for this. More information below from this article.
THE LEGACY OF THE PANDEMIC
No one knows exactly how many people died during the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic. During the 1920s, researchers estimated that 21.5 million people died as a result of the 1918-1919 pandemic. More recent estimates have estimated global mortality from the 1918-1919 pandemic at anywhere between 30 and 50 million. An estimated 675,000 Americans were among the dead.
Grandpa was then entered into the Christian Home for Children in Fort Lee, NJ on Palisades Avenue. Grandpa told me that Father Nelson (not a priest but the head man of the orphanage) was the nicest man ever. Everyone called him "Father Nelson".
Grandpa has also told me stories about how he used to sell newspapers when he was a boy. He would strategically go down to the subway stations and fumble to get people their change so they would jump on the subway before he could get it to them. Smart from a young age. Doing what he needed to do to survive. A survivor in so many ways. What's his secret? He'll tell you good clean living. In my opinion it's the heart of an amazing survivor. Never dwelling on heartbreaks, unfortunate situations, hardships, times of despair...trust me...he has seen them all. Everything you read in your history books from 1909 and on...grandpa has been a part of it.
What does all this mean to me? The world. Even though grandpa isn't my blood relative I feel that much more closer to him knowing some of history. And this is just a fraction. I want to know so much more about grandpa and try to remember all he tells me through our many card games. When I first met grandpa, he blew me away. Every day I talk to grandpa I feel wiser. And what might seem like nothing to some makes me feel amazing.
My favorite thing about grandpa? How from day 1 he's made me feel like one of his own. Always loving. Always sweet. Not a cruel word ever from a wonderful grandpa. He seems to always be amazed by so many when we're all amazed by him. The wonderful amazing feelings are mutual. Especially when he talks about my son. Grandpa always tells me "Hudson has all of his marbles." Guess they have something in common :)
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