The Queen has died…

Today while shopping in Walmart, I got a disturbing phone call:

My “Gran”, Mrs Isabell “Bell” Jones, closed her beautiful eyes for the last time this morning around 3 a.m., in Merced CA. She died in her own home, in her own bed, at the age of 97.

Dayumm!

I kinda showed my ass in Walmart-I couldnt help but cry RIGHT THEN since this is my ‘Gran”- I guess I just took it for granted she would just always be around. Even in her 90’s.

I come from a “distributed, dysfunctional family. Due to the lack of understanding and ability to get along and work it out, my parents split and then we went thru various family members at one time or another till it all ended up just bein Gran. Yall kno how Granma’s is; mine live within in 3 blocks of us, and was in our house atleast 3 times a week (creepin round the windows, ‘plantin flowers’ n’ ish -being nosey the other days of the week!). They always comin in with somethin they bought at a yard sale or ‘from the good Christian people up the way.’, that “‘one a yall can sho fit; aint no use lettin it go to waste…” They were forever tryin to get you to church (mine succeeded-she had help with the rest of the preachers and deacons of the church-my aunts were in the choir and on the board and secretary of Sunday School; my uncle was the pastor). We were in church with keys, before anyone else. and ALL WEEK for sumpthin. Livin with The Gurls, as I call her and her sister Aunt Butch, her partner in crime!) there was always a prayer meetin, (Wed night), and choir practice ,(Thur) Sisters of MtPisgah AME (Sat afternoons, and especially if Sunday is the 1st Sunday!) busines meetin’ (Monday nights- and they ‘burned the morgage’ on that bad boy too!). And Aunt Butch had a side game called The Buds of Promise. Met on Saturday afternoons in the summer when school was out. Kept a lot of us off the streets.

I remember always goin to Grans house and clownin to spend the night because her house was always nice and toasty warm from the gas heater planted right in the livin room. On those night Gran would always make Jello with something different in it each time. Even loquats (Ole skool kno what that is!). We would fight to see who was gonna get to brush and play in her hair. Who ever won the privilege got to do it till Gran dozed off under the brush…like she always did.

In the summer thats where most of us basically lived anyway, and I can remember playin out in Gran’s back yard where there was always a wood/junk pile to play on and with. The yard was full of fruit trees and had a garden. I cant tell you how many days I have lain in that yard on my back full of peaches and plums, ripe strawberries, loquats, figs, and crab apples . There was an apricot tree that produce them as big as some of the vine-ripe tomatoes that grew in the garden. We busted out there full with salt shaker in hand… those were the days .

I guess this would be the time memories like this rush in. That and old age Old Age.

Dang Ima miss her. But while Im sad I am kinda ok with it. She was 97 years old. She had a great life and I guess last she knew it was filled with love. I think Im bein selfish some how; Im sad because she is gone from my life, I guess I just thought she would always just be over there in Calif bein my Gran….thats must be what Im cryin for…but this is the end of her life and not mine and I should respect that it is time…I dont know how I feel right now really but I think that kinda close to it.

My uncle said she went peacefully in her sleep with a smile on her face. My Gran had a lot to smile for. She raised 9 children which includes adopted, had a hand in raisin 18 grandchildren, who bounced approx 33 great-grands on her knee, of which have laid 14 great -great-great-grandchildren in her lap for her to smile down on…most recently my son had the privilege, with twins Wisdom and Adrian II, born just this past Oct 29th. She lived a life full of laughter and love and faith. And she goin home to people she wants to be with, her mother and father, sisters and brothers (one still livin’), children (she outlived 5), grand -children (1).

There will be a celebration.

The Queen has died.