'The one I always come to'

By LINDSAY TUTSCHEK

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 16, 2000

Every year, the Area Agency on Aging sponsors a "My Favorite Older Person" essay contest, inviting Pinellas County fifth-graders to describe their relationship with an elderly person.

Lindsey Tutschek, an aspiring journalist (or maybe artist) from Bardmoor Elementary, won first-place with a sweet and colorful story about her grandmother, Bonita Tutschek. Lindsey and the second- and third-place winners will read their essays at 9:30 a.m. today at St. Petersburg's Sunshine Center, 330 Fifth St. N.

Here is a portion of Lindsey's essay:

[Times photo: Jim Damaske] Playing jacks is just one of many things Lindsey Tutschek, right, learned from her grandmother Boni ta Tutschek, who watches the game from her chair. In fact, the strong bond between the two encouraged Lindsey to enter "My Favorite Older Person'' essay contest. And win first place.

My Nana is 94 years old and has lived with my family since I was a baby. Ever since I was a young child, my Nana and I would spend lots of time reading books, playing games, and having our own little world of pretend. She was the first person to read to me. I would sit on her soft lap and fall into her arms like a bear cub wanting a hug from its mother. Her rocking chair would go back and forth as her voice carried me off to sleep.

We even have tea parties, put together puzzles, and sing songs. Yankee Doodle and Puff the Magic Dragon were some of our favorite songs.

We enjoy sitting on the porch watching birds and butterflies fly across the yard. She always reminds me to refill the bird feeder when it's empty! When I'm playing basketball on my white, sandy driveway I can see her cheerful face watching me from the window.

Nana . . . helps me learn. Every day after preschool was over, she would review the alphabet with me. Pretty soon, I memorized my ABCs and was first in my class to know them all. After years of hearing her read wonderful stories to me, I could read to her! By the second grade, I was already reading chapter books like Goosebumps. She even helped me learn to count. She noticed that I skipped a couple numbers and immediately after that, she taught me how. We practiced all afternoon and soon I could say all the numbers faster than a lion could roar.

My Nana really cares about how I am doing in school and asks me every day what I learned. Now I am one of the smartest kids in the class, and she helped me become that.

She's the one I always come to when I'm feeling down. My mother used to hand me to Nana when I cried when I was a baby. I cuddle up next to her as she pats me on the back with comforting words. I used to sneak into her bed at night because I love her so much. When my mommy works, my Nana stays with my dog and waits until I get home. She says, "I'm always here for you," and she always is. I feel like a blooming rose when I'm around Nana. She finds ways of entertaining me when we are bored, like telling stories of her life throughout the century, like the World Wars and about her family. Nana always has ways of making me happy.

Grandmas are God's special gifts, and mine is a gift I will never forget.

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