Grandpa had a sense of humor, too. He'd been on the Pirates of the Caribbean before, and knew what happened when the tourists in the boats were looking up at that horrific talking skull.
Once upon a time, when Papa was just a little boy,
he sat in his Grandpa Medvee's lap, on a dark and scary ride, burbling and gurgling at the back of a little boat crammed with people (Mama and Dada were in the seat ahead of them). Dougie loved being with his Grandpa, even if his Grandpa did suddenly explode with thunder at odd times. At 5'10" of height and over 200 pounds, Grandpa Medvee was a massive, barrel-shaped man, broadest of shoulders, with a thick mane of pure white hair, huge and gnarled weather-beaten hands, and a glowing, happy, sun-tanned smiling face. Grandpa was full Hungarian, which means he was strong, and passionate, loved to laugh, and yet had a severe, explosive temper (in Hungarian, Medve, the original spelling, means BEAR, and no better example could be found for a bear turned into a man).
Grandpa was always hot, always sweaty, and always smiling. His body produced heat, much as his lungs produced warm, golden laughter, and his warm presence turned all eyes to look at him. His smile was so wide and glowing bright anyone looking at him had to smile as well, in fact Dougie often felt as if his face would break in half, he smiled so hugely at his Grandpa. When Grandpa was young, he was dashingly handsome with a thick mane of jet-black hair, and piercingly dark eyes.








































Ernest Medvee


During Dougie's first trip to Disneyland, Grandpa carried Dougie everywhere, rescued him from attacking sea serpents and robotic ducks, and protected him on all the scariest of rides. But Grandpa had a sense of humor, too. He'd been on the Pirates of the Caribbean before, and knew what happened when the tourists in the boats were looking up at that horrific talking skull, it was threatening everyone with terrible things, such as the fact that dead men don't tell tales (whatever THAT was supposed to mean to a two-year-old, but whatever it was, it didn't sound entirely pleasant).
And Grandpa obviously took great delight in keeping his grandson's attention locked on the jabbering skull. With dread fascination, Dougie watched the talking pirate skull, and Grandpa kept saying: "Oooh, look at that. Oh my, don't look away. Watch him, watch him! Look at that skeleton Dougie, look at him!"
Until the moment the boat suddenly tipped and plummeted a sickening thousand feet into darkness! Dougie turned to stone in his Grandpa's lap, probably never in his short life had he been so utterly traumatized.
Grandpa Medvee laughed all the way down into the abyss.







































Irene and Ernest Medvee





























Larsens with Medvees

This picture is 29-year-old Walter Larsen with 4-year-old Dougie, 24-year-old Nancy with Grandma Medvee, Big Sister 6-year-old Donna, Aunt Linda, Grandpa Medvee with 2-year-old Pammy. This is the Huntington Beach house, with all the stonework done by Dada. Behind that Italian Cypress tree to the right of the door is a water faucet, which is where Dougie got his fingers smashed while turning off the water and Grandma Larsen slammed that very door.





Larsen Family Snapshots


The Little Papa Stories

www.DouglasChristianLarsen.com


All Stories © 2009 Douglas Christian Larsen

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Grandpa had a sense of humor, too. He'd been on the Pirates of the Caribbean before, and knew what happened when the tourists in the boats were looking up at that horrific talking skull.
The Little Papa Stories - When Papa was a Little Boy. Vignettes and scrapbook memories of childhood. Stories for Harrison Christian, Alicia Kathryn, Bronte Carolena, Dirklan Christian, Wolfgang Christian, and Genevieve Nancy.
Grandpa and the Pirate's Skull
When Papa was a Little Boy
The early life memories of Douglas Christian Larsen, The Little Papa Stories, When Papa was a Little Boy, stories for Harrison Christian, Alicia Kathryn, Bronte Carolena, Dirklan Christian, Wolfgang Christian, Genevieve Nancy
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Never, never, never, never, never, never, NEVER give up! Soldier On.
Unembellished: Although I'm neither adding to, nor taking away from these stories, it must be remembered that every recollection is recreated in the brain (the noodle works that way, it does not draw upon a static storehouse or upon concrete "memories," but like a mad scientist the brain bubbles up potions of chemicals and electric spark, and drawing from here and there amongst the neurons and dendrites, creates a new movie in the mind, every single time), and viewed through the lens of remembering me the way I was via the interpreter of who I am today. I am certainly as fallible today as I was then, whether two years of age, or four years, or forty-six years (and really, just as prone to tears!). But I capture these memories here, for my children, much the way my own Dada told me, and my sisters, stories of when he was a little boy. This way the memories go on, and never die.
- Douglas Christian Larsen