Monday, November 9, 2009
Grandpa was a smart liar.
I suspect my paternal grandfather was a liar. For good reason. He didn't want to be sent back to Germany during World War I. To maybe even kill his brothers and sisters. To the best of my knowledge, my grandfather was an illegal immigrant. He probably sneaked into the USA around 1900, when he was 19. And eventually he settled in Chicago. Where he married my grandmother. And they had three children, including my father. And so I'm alive and well today because my grandfather decided to become an illegal immigrant. Maybe that's why I wouldn't be too harsh on illegal immigrants. If not for one, I wouldn't have been born. Anyway, as for my grandfather being a liar. In the 1910 census, he listed his age as 29. But by the time the 1920 census rolled around, he decided to become 34. Yes, aging 15 years in 10 years. Quite a feat. Unless one lied about it. Any why not lie? Especially if it got grandpa out of the draft for World War I. He didn't want to go back and shoot Germans. Or even get shot himself by a German. Gotta give grandpa credit. He was a smart liar. --Jim Broede
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Grandpa even decided on his own to change his first name in America. From Carl to Charles. Yes, the English name for Carl. He wanted to sound more American during a time when there was hostility toward people of German descent. Yes, grandpa knew how to adapt. How to become a true American. By lying for convenience sake. --Jim
Congrats to Gramps, its a shame you didn't learn from him. You are very transparent. Everyone see's thru you and your fictional friends.
You sound kind of cranky. Having a bad day? Come on now. Cheer up. Think positively. Like me. --Jim
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