Bringing the Sweetness to Life

When I was a child, one of the best things about visiting my grandparents was the snack drawer in their kitchen. Granddaddy Bill stocked it with all kinds of junk food: Cheetos, peppermints, crackers and last but not least: chocolate, lots of it.

Raised in a household that valued healthy eating, raiding that snack drawer away from the watchful eye of my mother was one of many reasons I looked forward to spending the night at my grandparents’ house.

So when Granddaddy Bill moved in with us so I could be his caregiver after my grandmother’s death, I pledged to return the favor. “Can I get you some chocolate, Bill?” I’d ask him. “Is the Pope Catholic?” he’d fire back. We kept his snack drawer well-stocked with chocolate candy and chocolate cookies, and we often had chocolate cake for dinner. It clearly gave him joy.

When Granddaddy Bill passed and we came together to celebrate his life, my sister handed his favorite candy bar out to all of us. When nobody was looking, I slipped one into his casket. I imagine him in heaven reunited with his beloved wife, and an endless supply of chocolate.