I always think about my grandmother whenever I hear about Dick Clark. In my mind, the two are linked and will be forever. For me, I do not think it was just happenstance that Dick Clark passed away within days of my grandmother's birthday. Like millions of Americans, I grew up watching American Bandstand with the ever-youthful Dick Clark as host. But the show itself does not provide the direct link between my grandmother and Mr. Clark.
My mother told me years ago that her mother and Dick Clark were the same age. Hearing that blew my impressionable young mind: "So the guy who does the weekly Top 10 and hosts New Year's Rockin' Eve is the same age as the lady who serves me frijoles and fresh gorditas whenever I come over? Awesome!"
The connection does not end there.
We spent many New Years Eves at my grandmother's. All of us cousins popped fireworks while my grandmother and aunts cooked tamales, buñuelos and hot chocolate (not the cocoa from a package, but homemade Mexican chocolate with cinnamon sticks and etc!). The cousins and I usually took a break from the cuetes to munch on a tamal or two, some buñuelos and chocolate while we watched the ball drop live from NYC's Times Square. And again there was Dick Clark reminding me that he and my grandmother were born in the same year.
Unfortunately, my grandmother has not been in the best of health lately. She paid a visit to the ER a week after burying an older sister. Nothing major, but the cough she's had since has not gone away, eerily similar to how her sister passed. Her waning health is on our minds.
Like a good nieto, I called to wish my grandmother a happy birthday a few weeks back: her oldest grandchild called his only remaining grandmother. It was great to chat with her for a bit. Upon hearing about Dick Clark's passing a few days later, I could not help but think of my grandmother: thankful that she's still here and also thinking of all the Dick Clark related memories I have of her.
Thank you Dick Clark and muchísimas gracias Grandma!
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