I talk about my dad’s parents quite often; the “Arbuckle” side. They were younger and more active in my life as a kid…often taking my sister and I down to the lake with them during the summers.
For nearly the entirety of my childhood…they lived literally one street away from us.
But I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my Grandma Mae. My mom’s parents were real “salt of the earth” people. Grandma had an 8th grade education and grandpa was an over the road truck driver. They lived incredibly simply. Watched every penny. Repaired their own broken items.
Grandma, for as long as I can remember, had health challenges. But it never stopped her mind. She was always reading something (and was quite the painter as well). I’m sure she would love me sharing this secret, but she really liked the “trashy” novels; you know the ones…with Fabio and his flowing hair on the cover. Sorry, grandma!
Another secret, and this one I'm sure she will be OK with me sharing: Grandma Mae is responsible for creating and feeding my comic book habit.
And this habit changed me for the better.
Many of the comic books I was given were written for an older audience. They tackled hard story lines (Iron Man’s “Demon In A Bottle” comes to mind; a story arc where Tony Stark battled alcoholism). The comic books I read pushed my vocabulary because they weren’t written for children, but adults. Comic books helped me come into my own as a writer and story-teller. I learned how to move people with words and ideas.
When I read “regular” books today, I can see the story in my head…much like reading a graphic novel. And I truly believe my comprehension and reading speed comes from the foundation of reading comic books. When I became an actor, I already understood the notion of taking an audience on a journey with you. Because as a reader, I loved the journey, so, as a performer...I wanted others to experience the same thrill.
But the most important thing? It gave me a love for reading. I might sound like an old man here, but, I still believe in the power of reading. The worlds reading can unlock…the imagination it can stoke. With all of the widgets and gadgets we have today…reading is still one of the most stimulating activities we can encourage young people to do.
And, finally? This activity helped me form a life-long connection to Grandma Mae. Anytime I pick up comic books (which, sadly, isn’t as often these days), I’m transported back to when Grandma was trying to “secretly” give me a stack of comic books (my parents thought I had more than enough and often rolled their eyes when I got more) and I can almost hear her say “here you go, boy. Picked you up a few funny books.”
I do have hundreds, if not thousands, of comic books stashed away (see below). And while I can’t tell you which ones she bought for me…I know that she played an instrumental part in instilling in me a love for books. And that love opened gateways to possibilities and worlds unimagined.
"Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some to be chewed and digested."- Sir Francis Bacon
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