https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436141

(In Public Domain)

Second Granddaughter – 07/05/21

…and as she stood before the painting, observing, studying, beholding – as her grandfather had taught her – she smiled, for he never knew that they all thought he was quite a character, one to study, observe, behold.  They loved him, and they loved to talk about him and “compare notes”, as he would say after sitting for “a few minutes”, usually more, to study and observe a painting in the museum, and they would sit, and talk.  And they loved and laughed at how he would always laugh at his own jokes, and how he must have thought all his jokes were funny, and they really weren’t, but they really laughed, because they loved him because he thought his jokes were funny and he laughed at them, as he would say, “heartily”.  And then she and her siblings would take him by the hand and lead him to another painting because, yes, they wanted to hear what he had to say, and yes, occasionally, he would say something really funny, but sometimes he didn’t know that they were funny, the things he said, and he would look at them with his kind eyes and a puzzled look wondering what was funny, why were they laughing, and they would all say, almost singing “private joke, private joke” but not too loud because the guards would shush them.  And grandpa would smile, because once he said, “You know I take love every and any way I can”.  And they would love him even more because he would smile and even enjoy when he knew they were laughing at something he said, and…he always knew and…and…  And now…where was she in thinking about this painting, oh yes, observing, beholding…  She really still deeply missed her grandpa, now that he was gone, but she still smiles and laughs with him, when…she comes…to the museum…

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