I REMEMBER GRANDDAD. Pt. 1

May 5, 2170

I remember Granddad

Well, I honestly don’t remember him in the traditional way. You see, I never met him. But I am happy to say he made arrangements during his lifetime for me to know him; at least from a distance. The distance we call ‘time.’

His name was William (McDonald). He went by the nickname Bill. He was quick to tell you that his first name meant ‘Protector.’ And if nothing else, he was the Protector of our family tree and a myriad of old stories and photographs connected with it; carefully labeled with the appropriate names of an assortment of otherwise unidentified individuals.

My 4x Great Grandfather passed away in the year 2051. He lived to a ripe old age, dying peacefully in his sleep; less than 24 hours after his 102nd birthday. He always claimed he’d make it to the century mark, and he was good at his word. Granddaddy William sometimes spoke of his own 4x Great Grandfather Rev. Isom (Peacock), my 8x Great Grandfather, and who having lived to be 107 …died falling off a horse! Well, Granddaddy William gave Granddaddy Isom a good run for his money.

I think I must be guilty here of inferring I knew the old boy better than I possibly could without having met him, except

…he left something behind.

That was my ancient grandfather’s way of putting it. He often used that phrase in his writings, for he was a prolific writer, indeed; having left behind an autobiography, doctoral dissertation, a multi-volume diary, numerous unpublished volumes, and thousands of pages dedicated to miscellaneous topics of his day.

Granddaddy William claimed his own father was his inspiration, as Granddaddy Henry was a collector of names and histories before him, and left behind an illustrated binder which included a myriad of old pictures and genealogical history. A great uncle and distant cousin, before him, wrote accounts of their Victorian era experiences.

My beloved ancestor seemed especially keen to leave his descendants a message which it was impossible for him to bequeath in person. His was the first generation in which information could be relegated to permanent e-storage, and in his writings he admonished us to go right on ‘passing the baton’ to the next generation; (given the necessity to convert the drives and disks to whatever type of storage anteceded the former).

**Hypothetical letter written by William McDonald ("Granddaddy") as if a yet unborn descendant was writing it

(to be continued)


By William McDonald, PhD. From (Mc)Donald's Daily Diary. Vol. 44. Copyright pending

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