Grandpa to Me
R Truby 1 Robert T. Truby Instructor Vincent Basso English 101. 064 30 January 2012 Robert H. Truby I have a grandfather named Robert Henry Truby. Before he was born in 1945, two of his uncles were shot and killed. One was named Bill and another was named Sam. In the early 1900s, there was a feud between my family and another up by Bondad, Colorado. A gangster rancher by the name of Ike Cox shot two of his uncles as a result of this family feud. The mother could not bear the chance of losing another son. Right after Sam’s death, she decided to move the family and their cattle to New Mexico.
My bloodline moved to an unforgiving desert seeking survival. They moved to a remote location called Largo Canyon to raise their cattle and children. The dry summers were hot and the winters were cold. A presence of a prior civilization cultivated the surrounding landscape with Native American culture and evidence. Coyotes and cattle didn’t always get along so Henry, my great grandfather, trapped coyotes. Coincidently, coyotes were worth more than cattle at the time. A lot of people lost their ranch to the bank or to the government because of tax foreclosures, but not Henry.
Henry used his money to buy ranches surrounding his own for a small price. After that the Truby ranch reached sixty-six sections, totaling 42,240 acres. The amount of responsibility with that much land was staggering. For example, guarantying a thousand cows have what they need is like having a thousand babies R Truby 2 making certain they have what they need. To some, raising cattle was harder than raising children. My family was invested in cattle and did what they had to do to get by. Henry had one son named Robert Henry Truby, my grandfather. I call him Papo (Pah-Poe. ) Robert helped his father with the ranch since he could walk.
Robert had an overwhelming love and trust towards his father. He left for Las Cruces to attend their university to study Animal Science; however, he would drive over eight hundred miles every weekend to help Henry ranch. To Robert, money couldn’t replace moments and time he shared with his father. One semester away from graduating with a degree, Robert learned he had to go back and help ranch. It was never a choice. His family needed him and he was okay setting aside personal goals. An analysis of my grandfather reveals his character; however, there is more to him than meets the eye.
Nothing is dearer to my grandfather than family and everybody in this family treasures nothing more than his character. My dad’s attitude towards my grandfather is worth quoting. “I have never had more respect or trust towards a man. He gave me a foundation to live. He is a sense of home. I know I can always go to him for help. ” You could not ask more from a father. My grandmother, Rachael, had her own words to describe my grandpa. “He is gentle. He is caring and loving. ” Robert gave her his word when they got married that he would stay true and for that he will stay forever faithful.
Challenges they’ve faced is a list that defines devotion and care towards one another. Grandma Rachael still gives him backrubs so he must be doing something right. After almost fifty years of marriage, Robert and Rachael have sealed the sanctity of their marriage. My family wouldn’t be a family without him and for that we are forever grateful. R Truby 3 Although Papo resembles a pioneer from an older generation, he still fits into today’s society in his own way. I’m about six inches taller than my grandpa right now and he still tells me I might be as tall as him one day.
Papo always looks younger with a hat on because it covers up the part of his head that’s missing hair. It doesn’t matter where he’s at he’ll have on a pair of boots and a pair of wranglers. He’ll wear a polo shirt that buttons just at the top when he goes to town. When he’s working around the house he’ll wear a shirt that may have everything from paint to sawdust on it. That’s my grandfather’s style and it’s never changed. Papo is stronger than he looks and smarter than he thinks. My grandpa doesn’t drink alcohol or smoke, but he drinks a lot of coke.
After all the Coca-Cola he’s had in the past sixty-eight years, Papo is still working out on the farm. It hurts his back, but he still gets out there and does what needs to be done. He values his John Deer tractors. After mastering all the skills of farming, old age seems to take over just a little bit. It is quite humorous to watch Papo drive the tractor because he’s always running over stuff. It’s not on purpose. His perception is just off a little. He won’t take the obvious blame, instead he’ll jokingly blame it one someone or something else. He knows that his family won’t believe him and that’s what makes it even funnier.
My grandpa has his own sense of humor that I find intriguing and different. I may have more respect for my father, but I feel closer to Robert. We’ve got the same name, but that’s not the reason. I have a connection with my grandpa that words cannot describe. He is my idol. I look up to him in all things, except when it comes to computers. He is not very good with computers. He holds a lot of feelings back in fear that he will upset someone. In order to find out if I’ve let him down, I have to know him on a deeper level. This can be quite difficult because he is so subtle and modest. My grandpa wants me to be the best I can be.
I can’t tell you R Truby 4 how many times Papo reminded me to go to school and to do my homework so I can get a good job one day. I am his lineage and I am a direct reflection of this man. I am his only grandson. If I found out that I let my grandfather down, it would hurt me and I would beat myself up for it. It is my responsibility to make him proud. That is partly why I’m here. Even if his words of wisdom may at times become repetitive, I listen and respectfully nod my head. Whatever I do he somehow feels responsible for and he wants me to learn from his past and his mistakes that followed.
Sadly my grandpa has to work at an old age without retirement because he has worked for himself his whole life. When he is too old to work anymore he will have to sell the farm. I’m sure he would like to keep the farm if he could. He’s guiding me in the right direction to be financially stable and he knows the rest will follow. I will always hear his voice in my head telling me what to do or which decision to make. I’ll hear him telling me to hang in there when times get tough. I hope I become half the man he is because he is more than my grandfather. He is my hero.
