Dustin Guillermo
Grandpa, my alarm still goes off at 9am on Tuesday and Thursday morning. As if I still need to pick you up and take you to dialysis. Those mornings when I'd stop everything that I'm doing at work just so that I'm not late. Because we all know, when 9:15 comes around and I'm not there, you're having Grandma call me to find out where I am. I show up to the house and see you sitting in your chair. I rush out to get to you. I offer you the pallet to make it easier to get in my truck. You say your favorite line "NO NEEED". We then drive to dialysis. I drive very slow because it is during these times that we have our little convos. We take the same route evey single time. We complain about the same bumpy hill. We then arrive to the dialysis center. You unbuckle yourself and I immediately get out to meet you at your door. You then say "I gettum, I gettum". We walk to the waiting room. You look at the time and say "We go in". We do, but then we get instructed that they'll call us when your seat is ready. Once they take you in, you hop on the scale. I walk you to your seat. Then we part ways. 2 o'clock my alarm goes off. Soon I'm back where we parted ways. I go inside to get you. When check your weight again. You yell it to the nurse. We then walk to my truck. It's more difficult to get in because you're weak and tired. I assist you. We then head home. Same route. Different stories. I drive faster because I want to get you home so you can rest. We get home and the first thing you say when I open your door is "BEAULET!!! Tai Ukininam!!". Grandma always responds "ANA!!!" I walk you into the house and you say "Thank you yeah boy". I reply "Thank you Grandpa. See you on Tuesday/Thursday". This routine lasted for 6 years. Grandpa I miss you so much. I miss our time together. I miss our conversations. I miss you telling me about saving money, being nice to my in-laws, how to never leave my job because they take care of me and pay me good money. I miss hearing you call people "PID". I miss hearing you get angry at people who don't know how to drive and hearing you say"Probably wahine that's why" and then you laugh. I miss everything about you grandpa. I miss sitting in the garage with you. Just the two of us. Not saying one word. Just looking out at the street and the mountain. As if we were both saying "For some moments in life, there are no words". Grandpa, I will forever remember those precious moments that you and I shared. I miss you so much Grandpa. I love you.