Grandpa Earl Zabel

       

         “If heaven wasn’t so far away, I’d pack up my things and go for a day, introduce them to their Grandpa, watch them laugh at the way he talks” These lyrics make me think of my Grandpa Earl every time I hear this song by Justin Moore. It literally brings me to tears every time. Last April, I lost my Grandpa, he was 88 years old. He was one of the closest people to me in my life. I have so many great memories of him.

        As a kid I would spend weeks at their house during the summer, they lived in central Wisconsin in a town called Loyal. They lived on the countryside, just off the highway. My Grandpa was a collector of Allis Chalmers Tractors. When you would pull up to his house, his yard was littered with these bright orange tractors. I used to think, what a mess, but these tractors are one of my favorite memories of him. I would play on those tractors all day, hop from one to another, pretend I was a farmer, or in a tractor pull. I had so much fun.  My Grandpa was an encyclopedia of tractor knowledge. He bought tractors from auctions, and restored them, sold them, and also fixed tractors. He also participated in tractor pulls; I remember going to them all the time as a kid and being so proud of that little 5 foot 3 bald man, who could barely walk, hop up on that tractor like it was nothing. He entered tractor pulls up until 9 months before he passed away. He was 87 years old.  The last tractor pull he entered, I even had a chance to bring my kids to watch their Great Grandpa in the tractor pull.  It was a great memory. I hope that they have great memories of him, just like I do!      

        Another memory I have of him was his house, it was a small cozy little house. When you walked in, it smelled like cigarette smoke and moth balls. I know, it sounds gross, but my grandma was a heavy smoker back in the day, and I think every old person’s house smells like a moth ball! It’s just one of those smells. My grandpa had many toy tractors in the living room, on shelf’s, and in glass cabinets. I loved to play with them, but I was only allowed to play with a few because the others were collectors and worth money. Also in their living room was a cuckoo clock. This clock was an antique; it was a wedding gift to my Great Grandparents. I was told that the clock was probably 100 years old. It was hanging on the wall that backed up against the kitchen, and above his recliner chair that he always sat in. As a child,  whenever the cuckoo clock went off, I would drop everything I was doing , grab my toy gun and attempt to shoot the cuckoo bird. I somehow never seemed to be able to get that stupid bird, but I sure did try.                                   

       Next to the cuckoo clock was a .22 rifle hanging on the wall. This was also an antique.  It was dark brown wood, with a dark colored barrel. I always had my eye on that gun. I took it off the wall one to many times, and got in big trouble, my Grandpa bent me over his old knee and spanked my butt! That was the last time I took that gun off the wall. When I got old enough, I even had a chance to shoot that gun with my grandpa. This was a great memory, and was the first time I ever shot a gun.                                             

        I ended up inheriting this gun and the cuckoo clock when he passed away. I was so honored that he had that in his Will. He always told me I would have it when he passed on, but I figured someone else would get it.  When my mom brought it home for me, it brought me to tears. To this day, it just feels like I shouldn’t have it in my gun safe, it feels like it should be on his wall above his chair.  I can still hear my grandpa telling me about the history of the gun, and yelling at me for taking it off the wall.   What  great memories, I can't help but smile when I think of him.
                 
         Grandpa, I hope you are dancing the polka, and playing crazy poker with Grandma in heaven. I know you are looking down on us, and watching my boys grow up. I miss you like crazy, and love you more than you will ever know! 

 “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away”   By Justin Moore

Every day I drive to work across Flint River bridge

A hundred yards from the spot where me and grandpa fished

There's a piece of his old fruit stand on the side of Sawmill Road

He'd be there peelin' peaches if it was twenty years ago

And what I wouldn't give

To ride around in that old truck with him

If heaven wasn't so far away

I'd pack up the kids and go for the day

Introduce them to their grandpa

Watch 'em laugh at the way he talks

I'd find my long lost cousin John

The one we left back in Vietnam

Show him a picture of his daughter now

She's a doctor and he'd be proud

Then tell him we'd be back in a couple of days

In the rear view mirror we'd all watch 'em wave

Yeah, and losing them wouldn't be so hard to take

If heaven wasn't so far away

I'd hug all three of those girls we lost from the class

And I'd find my bird dog Bo and take him huntin' one more time

I'd ask Hank why he took those pills back in '53

And Janis to sing the second verse of "Me and Bobby McGee”

Sit on a cloud and visit for a while

It'd do me good just to see them smile

If heaven wasn't so far away

I'd pack up the kids and go for the day

Introduce them to their grandpa

Watch 'em laugh at the way he talks

I'd find my long lost cousin John

The one we left back in Vietnam

Show him a picture of his daughter now

She's a doctor and he'd be proud

Then tell him we'd be back in a couple of days

In the rear view mirror we'd all watch 'em wave

Yeah, and losing them wouldn't be so hard to take

If heaven wasn't so far

If heaven wasn't so far

If heaven wasn't so far away

So far away

So far away