Friday, January 11, 2008

a tribute to my Granddad


It never comes at the right time. Yet this was possibly the best time for my granddad die.

I had my profile filming last night and was going through pictures of times gone by, as my tears rolled down my cheeks. they asked me: why are you crying? I said, oh my granddad is 98 and I just don't know how much longer he will be here. I visited him on Christmas along with my mum, sister and my partner.
This morning I put on my black outfit- I don't wear a lot of black. today I did.
And at 11:22 I had a message. Papy ( that's how we called him) has just fallen asleep. kisses, Mum.

I screamed and cried. I loved my granddad. He was so special to me. He was the funniest and most serious man I know- he 's the man who paid for my piano lessons as a kid and got me to the theatre...( ok and he dragged me to way too many museums)

when we visted him, he asked Thomas about Greenland's dependance on Denmark and weather they had their own stamps.
He would lecture about the main industries of Malaysia, world history and of course the history of the church. He knew sooo much!
I still don't, because I keep thinking: how on earth does he keep all this information in his head?

He had a good time when we were there and my sisters invention of creme cointreau, a sweet desert tastefully disguising the protein powder was the last thing he insisted of eating.

Walter Oppenheim was a diplomat who was responsible for paying out compensation money to the Jewish people on behalf of the German government after world war 2. He was of Jewish origin, having survived working camps and imprisonment.

It must have taken some guts to work for the German government after the war. The way he saw it was that the real Germans weren't in the country when Hitler took over.
He set a good example of what it means to be German. He was very cultured, intelligent, curious and would get out of his own way to help others.

I think of him as an inspiration.

Tomorrow is my first live performance on THE ONE AND ONLY. I am dedicating it to my granddad.

Thank you for your support and good wishes.