One last story I have that I remember of my granddaddy involved his other bad habit - chewing tobacco. Don't worry - even he wasn't so stupid that he'd give the other vile substance to a little girl. However, he always went around spitting. I, of course, had no idea why he did this at the time. But, I was surprised he could do this and get away with it. I thought he would get in trouble, but my mom and ma-maw never said anything to him.
One morning, my mom, ma-maw, granddaddy and I all got into the car to go to Santa Claus Land. This was an amusement park in Indiana, which had a lot of fun rides, and of course, Santa Claus! I was beyond excited I was going to hang out with my three favorite people and was going to see where Santa Claus lived, too! I thought Santa Claus Land was the north pole, I guess. Anyway, after parking, we all got out of the car. My ma-maw and mom were trailing behind my granddaddy and me. He was very tall (to me) and I had to do this part run, part walk thing to keep up with his pace. However, I was walking behind him, as usual, instead of next to him because I wanted to watch him. He was like a distant star to me. I was in awe of him and wanted to watch everything he did. Well, before long, he started his nasty habit of spitting again. This time, I decided to copy him. He'd spit. I'd spit. He'd spit. I'd spit. This went on about four or five times before my mom realized what I was doing. She was horrified that her little girl was spitting! She told me to stop doing this and that little girls are not supposed to spit, I told her that granddaddy spit, and he always got away with it, so why couldn't I do it, too? I don't remember what my mom said but I remembered my granddaddy stopped walking when he heard my mom talking to me, and my ma-maw said to him, "I TOLD you that you were a bad influence on her!" He merely shook his head and gave a half smile before walking away. I think, out of habit, he went to spit again a few times in the amusement park and was firmly reminded "not to do it in front of Angela". I don't remember him spitting anymore after that day. I don't even think he knew I was copying that day until my mom and ma-maw got after him. And, it took many years (until I was grown up) to realize what he was really doing. Until then, I just thought that it was okay for granddaddy's to spit, for some reason, and not okay for little girls.
One morning, my mom, ma-maw, granddaddy and I all got into the car to go to Santa Claus Land. This was an amusement park in Indiana, which had a lot of fun rides, and of course, Santa Claus! I was beyond excited I was going to hang out with my three favorite people and was going to see where Santa Claus lived, too! I thought Santa Claus Land was the north pole, I guess. Anyway, after parking, we all got out of the car. My ma-maw and mom were trailing behind my granddaddy and me. He was very tall (to me) and I had to do this part run, part walk thing to keep up with his pace. However, I was walking behind him, as usual, instead of next to him because I wanted to watch him. He was like a distant star to me. I was in awe of him and wanted to watch everything he did. Well, before long, he started his nasty habit of spitting again. This time, I decided to copy him. He'd spit. I'd spit. He'd spit. I'd spit. This went on about four or five times before my mom realized what I was doing. She was horrified that her little girl was spitting! She told me to stop doing this and that little girls are not supposed to spit, I told her that granddaddy spit, and he always got away with it, so why couldn't I do it, too? I don't remember what my mom said but I remembered my granddaddy stopped walking when he heard my mom talking to me, and my ma-maw said to him, "I TOLD you that you were a bad influence on her!" He merely shook his head and gave a half smile before walking away. I think, out of habit, he went to spit again a few times in the amusement park and was firmly reminded "not to do it in front of Angela". I don't remember him spitting anymore after that day. I don't even think he knew I was copying that day until my mom and ma-maw got after him. And, it took many years (until I was grown up) to realize what he was really doing. Until then, I just thought that it was okay for granddaddy's to spit, for some reason, and not okay for little girls.
