"Flabby"

by Kay Heitsch

My husband Bill's Grandma Z was quite a character. Over the years, we grew very close, and I was actually with her when she died.

In Grandma Z's later years, she lived in a nursing home. Her eyesight was almost gone, and she spent most of her day in a wheelchair. For the most part, her mind was sharp until the end of her life at age 101.

We lived out of state for several years and didn't see her all that often. However, when we did, she always brought a smile to my face. Grandma had her way of saying things that would crack me up.

On one of our visits, she leaned forward in her chair and said, "Kay, let me feel your legs." Knowing Grandma, I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was. "Are you kidding? What for and why?" was all I could think to say.

Grandma didn't explain but insisted, so I let her feel my legs. After giving each leg a few squeezes, she sat back in her wheelchair. In a very matter-of-fact way, she announced, "Kay, you're getting flabby! You know, I don't tell everybody this." I didn't know quite what to think. Should I be happy she had selected, just me, to tell this to?

If that wasn't bad enough, Grandma went on. Now she wanted to know how much I weighed. I thought I'd just tease her, so I joked that I wasn't about to answer that question.

Grandma was quiet for a moment. Then trying to catch me off guard, she continued, "I weigh 111 right now. Where do you come in around that number?" I laughed and let her know I knew she was trying to trick me into telling her my weight, and it wasn't going to work! I weighed about 103 at the time. Indeed not a heavy duty!

Maybe I should have just ignored Grandma's "flabby" comment, but I didn't. I decided to join a fitness club after we returned home. I went faithfully and had a fun time exercising with the girls. Plus, I made some lifelong friends in the process.

The following summer, we were back at the nursing home visiting Grandma Z. After giving her a hug, I announced, "Hey Grandma, I joined a fitness club! Don't you want to feel my legs?" With a tone only Grandma would use, she gasped, "Heaven's no, why would I?" I laughed and continued, "Well, last time we were here, you wanted to feel my legs, and you actually said, "Kay, you're getting flabby!" after feeling them.

I'll never forget Grandma's response. In a tone of disbelief, she scoffed, "Flabby, flabby?? That word is not even in my vocabulary!"