It was during the war in Europe.
My grandfather was posted in England.
He had  a bad limp and a crooked smile.
And he seemed to big for his uniform.
He never fought in a single battle.
He was a bit of a pacifist
Let and let live was his style.
Instead he was sent  to work
in the army kitchen.
Where he learned how to cook.
He was assigned to an English lady
who could cook.
She taught him everything in the kitchen.
He got used to the English lady
She got used to the big man
with a limp and crooked smile.
When the war ended he returned
To New York he opened up a small diner.
He returned to England on a ***** steamer.
And found the lady from the kitchen.
He asked for her hand in marriage.
She accepted and they returned to the states.
There was a note on the diner kitchen door.
It said I fell in love with you in the kitchen
So I built one for us to share forever.
My dad was born a year later
He had the crooked smile but no limp
Then I was born and can’t cook an egg.
Grandma died a few weeks ago
I cleared the stuff out of her room
In her belongings I found the note
He pinned on the diner kitchen door.
It inspired me to write this poem
So look around grandma in heaven
There’s a big man with a limp
and crooked smile.
He’s waiting for you
In a kitchen somewhere up there.