55th

this was a speech

About as far back as I can remember my grandparents have always been my ‘grandparents’.

‘Grace’ and ‘Eddie’ would only be terms I’d come to grasp much later in life…

Their house and life was always one giant treasure chest to me; filled with quirky eccentricities, and things far too exciting to find in our regular family home. Replica Swords, Starwars, whiskey, stamps, power tools, air rifles, naval mapping equipment, rare vinyls, retro clothing, vintage books, vintage porn, aviator shades.

We’d watch black and white slides of a family grow up in new guinea, of navy men dressed in white saluting a bride and groom, in the exotic backdrop of Burma.

We’d hear stories about an epic romance between a man at sea and his relationship with a beautiful sepia photograph of Grace. And how she’d never been kissed and how she waited for him on a distant shore. And how they raised a family between journeys aboard great steam powered ships all the while fleeing an evil oppressive government.

How they braved a new world, sacrificing everything, and surviving on instant mash potatoes, and selling their worldly possessions for what they have today.

2/17 Bowen street Camberwell is a testament to this life.

A life so foreign, exotic and resilient I sometimes wonder in awe at how I fell out of it.   

Today, it’s all mostly packed in boxes in a garage that my parents have been slowly convincing them to discard each year.

Today they’re sitting two identical lazy-boy arm chairs, watching the television. switching between Nickelodeon cartoons (grace’s new favorite past time) and then switching back to catch Mariah Carey on MTV at the commercial break. They’re Sitting on a well worn couch by the kitchen, making sense of the bible together. They’re in front of the computer, jointly typing an email - eddie is on the keyboard taking dictation from grace, as she leans in to correct typos. 

So tonight, they’re here, sitting up right in their seats, being humble and attentive. They’ve battled cancer. Sailed the 7 seas. Are fluent in 3 languages, Mastered 3 versions of windows and most of the internet, raised 6 children, (including myself and my sister.)

Tonight they’re 55 years old. 

And I just wanted to say. ‘Wow.’