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My grandfather shakes hands with a man in uniform. My grandmother is
ashes. He will join her soon, next to where we store her during this
ceremony. He fought in a war against the Germans and the Japanese. He
and my grandmother raised eight Americans. His oldest daughter married
her German pen pal after college and has lived there ever since. Their
children are here and only speak German. His youngest son moved to
Japan after college and married a Japanese woman. His wife is here and
she speaks to her daughter in Japanese. The room is loud with three
languages. There are many people and my grandfather says the clan has
gathered. There is at least one notable absence but it is still a clan
that he created with my grandmother. There are only a couple ties and
jackets. Some people take pictures and some laugh. Nobody is crying
yet. My grandfather wears floppy white socks and white Nikes. Love
story.