History of Memories

I was in seventh grade and my history teacher had an assignment for us to do.  He wanted us do a family tree and interview a grandparent and get information about what it was like for them to grow up.  Not just they way they lived but what things cost and what it felt like.  I am so thankful that I was able to interview all four of my grandparents and sit and listen to them tell of their life growing up.  I ended up taping the whole conversation on a my sister's taperecorder.  I wish still had that tape, but I'm sure I just ended up taping some Milli Vanilli over it or Bon Jovi.  Who knows.  Good thing I have a great memory. 
He was my mom's dad.  Elmer Christ Lutjen.  He was born and raised on the farm I grew up on in Lake City.  I remember thinking when I was young how old he seemed.  Now as I get older it doesn't seem so old anymore.  He use to bartend at a bar called Beckmann's.  It was connected to The Blue Moon Restaurant.  Now the place has new owners and it totally remodeled and called Bronk's Bar and Grill.  I can remember him taking me in there and it was dark and had one little windown that I had to stand on a bar stool to see out of.  It smelled of cigar and cigarette smoke.  He would let me have a root beer and sometimes some chips.  I can still feel the foam on my lips and the salt on my tongue.  Boy did that root beer taste good on a hot summers day. 
My Grandma and Grandpa moved to town I believe in 1977.  I would stay there in the summer and Grandma would make lunch and he would push out his false teeth and click them.  I can still hear my Grandma yell "Stop that Elmer!"  He had gold rimmed glasses and slicked back hair from using Brylcream.  He smelled of some old dime store cologne.  He always had on jeans and a western shirt, usually red and green and white stripped and always pointed toed cowboy boots.  He use to call me Smokey and I can remember when my cousin had her little girl, he would call her smokey, and even though I was fifteen at the time I was still jealous of him using what was suppose to be just my name. 
He was my favorite grandparent and when I graduated high school he was dying of cancer.  He died June of 1996 and I miss him as much today as I did the day he died.  I miss his laughter and jokes and I'm sad he missed out on me growing up more.  I know he would get a kick out of my boys. 
I love you Grandpa and always will.