#roly poly man

[forsuperm]

centricity

[donnamacmaster]

I spent yesterday afternoon with my little granddaughter, sitting in her backyard with our hands and knees on the ground, searching for caterpillars and roly polies. Side by side we poked our sticks into the dirt that borderd the concrete patio, hoping we’d find some insects to play with. We started  a game, calling out to each other: “Roly Poly, where are you?” “ Wake up Caterpillar.” As I sat with her in the sunshine, with both hands dirty and my knees a little scraped, I thought back to a time, long ago when my own grandmother and I spent time togther. We stayed up way after my bedtime, and watched Pillow Talk on the Late, Late Show. As a child, I loved this song “Roly Poly Man,” and whenever I think of the movie and hear the song, I’m reminded of my grandma, and how she made me ice cream sodas while we watched old movies late into the night, as my grandfather snored in the next room. It felt as if we were getting away with something wonderful and mysterious -ice cream sodas at midnight, grown-up movies and shared whispers about Rock Hudson or Ckark Gable or whoever flickered on the blue TV screen.

Now here I am with my own grandchild, singing Roly Poly Man to her, connected to a memory that spans generations. I wonder what she will remember. No matter..the moment was enough.