My grandpa is 94. My grandma is 92. They've been sending us mementos to remember them by. A couple of years ago my grandpa sent me a toy piano that has a mouse sitting at the bench. When you put a hat on the mouse it plays a corresponding song. For example, put a Christmas hat on the mouse and it plays a Christmas song. Put a cowboy hat on it and it plays a country song, etc.
I have this piano sitting on a cabinet in my studio. The other day, unprompted it started playing a song. I immediately knew I had to call my grandpa. When I did he looked like he had been crying. He told me that he, "had to go to Mexico but that his children won't let him." He wants to go there to see his homeland and some surviving relatives. This is understandable. My mom and her siblings don't want him to go. They think it's too dangerous and that he is too old. Also understandable. He told me that if he doesn't get to go he is going to stop drinking water and die.
I called my mom to tell her. She said she was in the room with him when we were talking and that they give up, he can go.
My mom arranged for him to have one of her cousins that is a physician there and lives in a nice neighborhood to care for him. They are throwing a reunion for him with mariachi.
My grandpa calls my grandma, "Tadine." It's his pet hame for her. He's a very interesting guy. Was a gunner in Korea, started his own company and is constantly on the go. Even at 94 he is incredibly active and all over the place. The home they lived in for many years was on a road called, "Crowfoot." I tell you this so the lyrics make sense.
I wrote this song for him. You can hear him throughout saying, "hola Tadine." This is from a video message he sent grandma from Mexico. He is there now. He gave my mom his Korean War Vet hat he wears and told her to keep it to remember him. I don't know if he plans to come back or not. I think he wants to die there.
I had a great night with him before he left. We played guitar and sang. He played harmonica. I told him, "as a husband, your most important duty is to care for your wife, grandma." He said, "naturally, that is why I have a round trip ticket." I gave him some money for the trip and he put it in his sock.
Enjoy the song. It was a joy to make.
Lyrics:
- Hey Tadine, take a look at me now
Standing with money in my pocket in our home town
Hey Tadine, we're on borrowed time
Let me take you down to the dance hall
Hey Tadine, take a look at me now
I put some money in my left sock so we can get out of town
Hey Tadine, we're on borrowed time
Let me take you down to the dance hall
Hey Tadine, take a look at me now
Standing on the corner of Crowfoot where we used to get down
Hey Tadine, We're on borrowed time
Let me take you down to the dance hall