The Alpenliebe Story

The Lollipop that stuck, even without a stick!

My grandfather known to us as Ajja (the Kannada term for grandpa). was a very fascinating and interesting character. I’ve heard stories of how he fainted as kid after seeing some disturbing events on the railway tracks and went into the ICU, contrasting with stories of how he was an intense father but also a well respected man that never did wrong by anyone in his work life.

Let me take you back to a core memory of my childhood, The Alpenlibe Story.

The Lollipop

Today I bought an Alpenlibe Strawberry Lollipop. For those of you that aren’t familiar with this Asian Candy, which was popular amongst kids in the 2000s. It offered the perfect balance of sour Strawberry and some sort of white candy that would melt into your mouth as soon as you pop one! This Lollipop struck a memory that’s very close to my heart though.

Man Is Shaped by Flaws, Not Perfection

Ajja was known to be an aggressive man when he was younger. He lost his mum when he was growing up, I understand to some extent the impact such an experience can have on a person. Looking back at the stories I heard about how he treated my dad when he was growing up, I don’t judge him. We all have certain standards, and this intensity was simply one of his many standards, with the wonderful ones he possessed too!
One particular story stands out though, when my dad was a young child Ajja had taken him to the market to buy some medicines, my dad was young very young. After buying the medicines he handed them to my dad asking him to keep them safe in his pocket, and they headed back home, when they reached home Ajja asked for the medicines. My dad scrambled through his pockets in hesitation, only to realize he’d lost them. Ajja being the aggressive man that he was grabbed my dad by the hand and took him back to the market, abandoning him there alone to contemplate his actions.

When I heard this story for the first time I was speechless. How could he be so harsh? How could he be so cold? How could someone treat their own son in such a way?

(This was Ajja on his 50th wedding anniversary, yes 50 years!)

The Transformation

What surprised me even more was the wonderful grandfather Ajja was to me. There are very few times I can recall him seeming upset, in my memory he always had a smile on his face.

As a kid every year my grandparents would visit and live with us for a month or two, I didn’t interact much with my grandparents. I was too busy kidding (no pun intended). But I have this one very found memory with my grandfather when they would visit.

Every day, while I went to school, Ajja, with his super cool baggy trousers, oversized shirt, James Bond sunglasses and a beat down cap would walk to the supermarket and buy all the groceries for a delicious meal prepared by my grandmother. Although I loved every bite of her food, the true beauty of this memory lies in the delightful treat that awaited us after the meal. We would be sitting with full stomachs, watching TV, when out of the blue Ajja would come out of the kitchen with his fists clenched. Filled with excitement, we’d get out of chairs, to see what he had for us. Nestled in his palms were the beautiful Strawberry flavored Alpenlibe Lollipops, the perfect way to end the meal and a core memory of Ajja.

Why Ajja

Ajja passed away yesterday, a man made of brick at the age of 94. He had endured more fractures in the last two decades of his life than I've had altogether. But the point I’m trying to make through these stories is goes beyond that.

We all make mistakes; we all have characteristics that are ingrained in us that shape who we’re. I don’t know if Ajja thought about this or not, but I know I will. He probably learned from the mistakes he made of leaving his son in the market, maybe he learned the importance of choosing who he wanted to be – a man who never forgot to buy his grandchildren their favorite Alpenlibe strawberry lollipops on every visit to the market.

Thoughts to Consider

Looking back, although I didn’t live through the experiences my dad did, hearing the stories it left a mark on me. But when I heard about Ajjas passing, the first memory that came to mind wasn't of the aggressive man, but the man that learned from his mistakes and grew to become a better person.

I will make mistakes too, I will make folks upset, but to learn and become a better person is that best way to leave this world.

(This was the last picture taken of Ajja, a day before his passing. Had to pull out them classic shades for a major throwback)

Rest in Peace, Ajja.