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Mrs. Weidenbach’s Father
Uncle Grady Griswold, husband to Aunt Mae, is a very old man. Grandma insists he’s 103 years old. In “Centennial Summer,” Grandma brings Joe on her trek to the Griswolds’ home as part of her larger scheme to outdo the wealthy and self-absorbed Mrs. Weidenbach at the Centennial Celebration. Mrs. Weidenbach is sure that Mrs. Weidenbach’s father, a Civil War veteran, will be celebrated as the “oldest settler in the community,” but Grandma insists that Uncle Grady is actually older (though the narration indicates that her claims are somewhat dubious). Grandma’s scheme ends with the two elderly men getting into a brawl at the local parade.
Uncle Grady Griswold Quotes in A Long Way from Chicago
The A Long Way from Chicago quotes below are all either spoken by Uncle Grady Griswold or refer to Uncle Grady Griswold. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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7. Centennial Summer Quotes
“Got a new pet?” I inquired.
“Chicago people have pets,” she said. “But there’s a new litter living down in the cobhouse now, and I let ‘em. They keep down the vermin. Don’t need all of them though.” Gently, she lifted the kitten and put her in the hamper with our lunch. “We’ll drown this one in the crick on our way,” she said. But I wasn’t worried.
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“How do you know Mother’s going to let you keep that kitten?”
“How do you know she’s not?” said Mary Alice.
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Uncle Grady Griswold Character Timeline in A Long Way from Chicago
The timeline below shows where the character Uncle Grady Griswold appears in A Long Way from Chicago. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
7. Centennial Summer
...Back inside, Grandma informs him that they’re heading deep into the country to find old Uncle Grady Griswold and his wife, Aunt Mae. If Uncle Grady is alive, he’d be 103 years old....
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...been. Mae responds with a nonsensical, unrelated answer. Mae instructs Grandma to get closer to Uncle Grady , who is hard of hearing these days. Grandma shows Uncle Grady the kitten she’s...
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Grandma asks Uncle Grady if he can still get around well (he can) and if he still has his...
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...and Joe are on the float, too, dressed in their old-timey clothing. The highlight is Uncle Grady , and above him a sign that boasts of his service in the Mexican War...
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...Grandma’s float, she’s irate at Grandma for showing her up. Mrs. Weidenbach’s father angrily insults Uncle Grady , and the two old men charge at each other, prepared to fight. In the...
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...and Mary Alice off the day of their departure. Joe asks her how she knows Uncle Grady is actually 103 years old—does he have a birth certificate or something? Grandma scoffs, replying,...
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