.......You Jarrett's...I hate'cha!

So, Grandmother, I ALWAYS called her Grandmother because she just wasn't the type of grandmother who you could call Granny or Nana or Grams. Oh,no. She was definitely Grandmother with a capital G. I believe the TV media could have easily made a fortune making a sitcom about our Grandmother. Hollis was her name. She always hated her name but got mad every time I had a baby and didn't name it Hollis.
Mom told me a story that is the epitome of how Grandmother thought and lived. Mom said she came home from school one day and Grandmother was sitting on the sofa with a sad, serious face.I need to tell you that Grandmother was very, very dramatic. Kind of like a chubby, southern Betty Davis ( Betty Davis was a Hollywood actress popular in the 40's. She played in a movie in the 60" or 70"s called Baby Jane for those who might have seen it.) Anyway, Grandmother was all sad and serious on this particular day. This happened in 1935 so mom was about 10 yrs. old. Grandmother said, "Dorothy, come here. I have something to tell you." Mom was a little frightened, but she sat down next to Grandmother and said, "What is it mama? Are you alright?" Grandmother stated crying and proceeded to tell mom that she was dying. She had cancer. For a long time after that mom waited for Grandmother to die. She didn't. It seems Grandmother had been listening to the radio and heard a list of symptoms for cancer. She decided she had it. That was all there was to it! Can you image? Well, Grandmother didn't die of cancer or anything else but old age. However, as long as I can remember she was having heart attacks at least once a year. In and out of the hospital she went. Her doctor even gave her Demerol, a powerful pain reliever! She bugged him to death for it. She was hard to resist. What Grandmother had was a very active imagination and flair for the dramatic. My brothers, especially Jerry, would aggravate her death. She blamed everything on Jerry because he just wouldn't shut up. She really couldn't stand him. I can still see her getting in his face. She would be all red faced and wild eyed. She would get about 2 inches from Jerry's face and saying "OOH you Jarrett's! I hate'cha I just Hate'cha!" This would make Jerry laugh like crazy which in turn made her furious and round and round they would go. Years after we had all grown up and moved out on our own she was in the hospital having one of her heart attacks. Jerry came to visit her because Grandmother had convinced grandaddy and mom that this time she really was dying. Jerry walks into the hospital room looks at poor Grandmother lying there so pathetic and says, "Well, Grandmother, I hear you're dying." No sympathy. Just the typical Jerry reaction to her. Of course he said it tongue-in-cheek. She didn't say it but I am sure she was thinking"...You Jarrett's, I hate'cha!"