In memory of my Grandfather, Benny Depellegrini (434 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 0.45 on 15 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by <your_ex_pimp.at.hotmail.com> (View user info) at 2008-02-09 23:43:37 EST
Where does one start when we lose a loved one?
To express yourself in mere words when someone you look up to, a hero, a saint, an immortal amongst men; is stripped from your life... is simply impossible.
Benny Depellegrini, my grandfather, was such a man. Living more than a days drive away from me, always inhibited the amount of time i got to spend with him, and my Grandmother. Benny, Full-blooded italian, humble and proud, and Anne, Scottish to the core, and as tough as nails, but still as soft as a kitten, always managed to inspire every sense, every emotable emotion one could feel whenever around them.
Benny was the kind of man that you could spend a lifetime with, yet still learn something new everyday. His passing is a massive loss to this world, not only losing the physical, but also the spiritual. The man was brilliant, for a lack of a better word. being able to grow fruit & vegetables by the tides of the ocean and forms of the moons, to his ability to teach even someone as closed-minded as my sister how to catch a fish. The way that you could wake up at their beach-house in Inverloch, step onto the verandah, smell the salty ocean-air, feel its fresh bite on your face, and see Benny out on that verandah, mince-meat in hand, feeding magpies and crows alike, almost as if he had tamed the wild beast. Stepping downstairs into the cellar, you're immediately confronted with the smell of hopps, barley, yeast, wines, dried meats, all his creations. Beer to an eight-year old is meaningless, you cant appreciate what alcohol is, the taste, the effervescence, the refreshing characteristics, yet it tasted amazing. The love that he put into everything he did, his cooking, his home-brew, his job, his house, his garden, his marriage, all showed in everything with majestic force. I still remember trying homemade pommegranite-schnapps for the first time; 10 years old, near knocked me unconscious.
Aside from a brief rendezvous with my grandparents when i was around 14, i had not seen them in a good 5 years, partially due to my selfishness, always being to 'busy' to head up there to see them. Now that i see that i was simply too lazy to make the effort to drive up there, i condemn myself for it. Anyway, We met in a park, shared a picnic lunch, watched kids frivolously chase seagulls around like mad, enjoying each-others presence if nothing more. How i had outgrown them, 5ft10 as a 15 year-old standing next to my grandparents, no taller than 5ft5, yet they still towered above me in every other sense than the literal. Recently reconciling with my abusive father, we were preparing to make the journey north to see them, since it had been so long. A week ago i received a phonecall from my dad
..."Ive got some unfortunate news about Benny. He's in hospital... The doctors say he's got fluid-on-the-lungs. He's doing ok, but ill keep in touch with you to let you know how things are"...
For a week, the idea plagued the back of my mind. Would fate be so cruel as to snatch my beloved hero away from me, when we were so close to seeing each other again.
Just two hours ago, i received another phonecall from that same number i knew to be my fathers.
..."Oh, ive also got some bad news too about benny"
I held my breath, not wanting to acknowledge the words i was sure i was about to hear
"He passed away last night... Im sorry mate. He went peacefully overnight, the doctors said. Really a bitch that we didnt get a chance to see them like we planned. Shit happens like this mate... Nothing we can do about it. Its life..."
Life... The mind obtains bliss and eternal peace, meeting with the deep and profound lord.
Rest in peace old fella, youre with the Big Man now
X
User Reviews
Submitted by Lib (user info) at 2008-02-11 13:23:41 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by HellRazer (user info) at 2008-02-11 02:46:54 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
I don't think your grandfather would want me to read all of that.
Submitted by Ltap (user info) at 2008-02-10 15:36:10 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I wasn't going to give this a +2, but Green_Ranger is an ass, have this to balance it.
Submitted by Green_Ranger (user info) at 2008-02-10 12:56:21 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
your grandfather had AIDS
he gave me a terrible blowjob so i granted him the sweet release of death
Submitted by Bubba2341 (user info) at 2008-02-10 11:46:15 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by DeathJester (user info) at 2008-02-10 11:00:55 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
That's one hell of a picture for a camera phone...
Submitted by 8track (user info) at 2008-02-10 02:26:53 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Cunt of a thing to happen. Take care.
Submitted by Linus (user info) at 2008-02-10 00:07:44 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
4MP on a camera-phone? Where does the time go...
Submitted by bjrog2 (user info) at 2008-02-10 00:05:47 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Understandable. Forgot to resize the bugger before i uploaded it. Useless camera-phone defaults to like 4-mp or something. Took it on the drive back from seeing grandparents
Submitted by Linus (user info) at 2008-02-10 00:03:26 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Someone has to do this.
Submitted by Ballare (user info) at 2008-02-10 00:00:48 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
sorry, it had to be done. sucks people die sometimes, doesn't it?
Submitted by Ballare (user info) at 2008-02-10 00:00:22 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by FartSmeller (user info) at 2005-11-16 16:58:22 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
TRANSMISSION CODED 668-220044-398
SECURE TRUNK A, A11, A34
23:43:37 EST
SENT:
NASA SPACE STATION
RECEIVED:
BJROG2/WWW.UBERSITE.COM
MESSAGE FOLLOWS:
ROG: THANKS FOR THE COOL PIC. WE CAN SEE IT JUST BY LOOKING OUT OF THE HABITAT MODULE'S AFT HATCH. GREAT SHOT, HAVEN'T SEEN A SUNSET IN AGES!
END TRANSMISSION
CONNECTION TERMINATED 44880-23-2-222
Submitted by bjrog2 (user info) at 2008-02-09 23:55:54 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Yep, 2nd Generation. All 4 grandparents came from either Italy, Scotland or Ireland
Submitted by locksly (user info) at 2008-02-09 23:54:07 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
are you Aussie then mate?
Submitted by apollo88 (user info) at 2008-02-09 23:46:06 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
sorry for your loss and all that but jesus christ this was bad.