Part 3:
Grandpa stood in a flannel shirt and an old pair of khakis.
White hair puffed on his head. Age spots dotted his face.
Hazel eyes flashed bright and alert. Yet ... he’d missed seeing the bus.
He had missed it.
Grandpa’s hound dog, Arnie, barked from the picture window as we talked in the driveway.
“We spoke to the people at the bus garage," Rick said. "They're dropping the charges. It's all set."
“Really? Oh, that’s great, Ricky. That’s great.”
“They made me promise you’d be careful. I vouched for you, and said you’d stay out of trouble.”
“They sound like good folks. Maybe I’ll give them a call and thank them for cutting me slack.”
“No, no. That’s OK. The guy who helped me out – he did it unofficially, you know?”
“Whatever you say, Ricky. This is a relief off an old man's mind.”
He looked up at the sky and added, “You see, Barbara? You see what kind of people your grandkids have become?”
He swallowed hard and said, “All right, let’s go in and eat."
The smell of chili greeted us as we entered.
White hair puffed on his head. Age spots dotted his face.
Hazel eyes flashed bright and alert. Yet ... he’d missed seeing the bus.
He had missed it.
Grandpa’s hound dog, Arnie, barked from the picture window as we talked in the driveway.
“We spoke to the people at the bus garage," Rick said. "They're dropping the charges. It's all set."
“Really? Oh, that’s great, Ricky. That’s great.”
“They made me promise you’d be careful. I vouched for you, and said you’d stay out of trouble.”
“They sound like good folks. Maybe I’ll give them a call and thank them for cutting me slack.”
“No, no. That’s OK. The guy who helped me out – he did it unofficially, you know?”
“Whatever you say, Ricky. This is a relief off an old man's mind.”
He looked up at the sky and added, “You see, Barbara? You see what kind of people your grandkids have become?”
He swallowed hard and said, “All right, let’s go in and eat."
The smell of chili greeted us as we entered.
“When you get old? You worry about new things. Like maybe you’ll lose your senses.
Imagine that? You probably can’t, not yet.
Roger Malloy was in the union with me for thirty years. Now he’s in an old-age home out in Wilcey.”
Shuddering at the thought, Grandpa dipped a spoon into the pot and put it to his lips.
“Chili’s just about done. But we got time,” he said, “for a toast.”
Out came three glasses.
He filled each with his homemade beer.
We had never shared a drink like this before.
“To Ricky and Josie. And to facing the future unafraid.”
“To the future,” Rick said.
“To the future.”
Our glasses clinked.
My lips shuddered and my throat burned.
Imagine that? You probably can’t, not yet.
Roger Malloy was in the union with me for thirty years. Now he’s in an old-age home out in Wilcey.”
Shuddering at the thought, Grandpa dipped a spoon into the pot and put it to his lips.
“Chili’s just about done. But we got time,” he said, “for a toast.”
Out came three glasses.
He filled each with his homemade beer.
We had never shared a drink like this before.
“To Ricky and Josie. And to facing the future unafraid.”
“To the future,” Rick said.
“To the future.”
Our glasses clinked.
My lips shuddered and my throat burned.
“You two must have done a real song-and-dance to get the charges dropped,” he laughed.
“Something like that,” Rick said. “By the way … have you had an eye test in a while?”
“Eye test? No, I’d say it’s been a good long time.”
“Why don’t we plan a visit? I can even drive you, if you like. Let's be sure you’re seeing clearly.”
“They’re not gonna put those drops in my eyes, are they? I hate that.”
“You want to keep your license?”
“I suppose you’re right, Ricky. How’d you get so smart?”
“Good genes, I guess.”
Grandpa’s smile warmed us even more than the chili.
“Something like that,” Rick said. “By the way … have you had an eye test in a while?”
“Eye test? No, I’d say it’s been a good long time.”
“Why don’t we plan a visit? I can even drive you, if you like. Let's be sure you’re seeing clearly.”
“They’re not gonna put those drops in my eyes, are they? I hate that.”
“You want to keep your license?”
“I suppose you’re right, Ricky. How’d you get so smart?”
“Good genes, I guess.”
Grandpa’s smile warmed us even more than the chili.
“All right then, make the appointment."
“First thing tomorrow."
“But really, no eye drops. I hate those things."
“Whatever you say, Grandpa. Whatever you say.”
“We love you," I told him.
“You see, Barbara? Our grandkids? They take care of this old man."
“Always," Rick replied.
Grandpa smiled.
“To facing the future," he said. “Unafraid."
“First thing tomorrow."
“But really, no eye drops. I hate those things."
“Whatever you say, Grandpa. Whatever you say.”
“We love you," I told him.
“You see, Barbara? Our grandkids? They take care of this old man."
“Always," Rick replied.
Grandpa smiled.
“To facing the future," he said. “Unafraid."
~Now they may hurt you (hurt yooou),
~Not just what you’d choose (you’d chooose),
~But I guess I’m thankful for,
~The Vehicular Grandpa Blues,
~Yes I thank my lucky stars,
~For the Vehicular Grandpa Blues,
~I'll say it one more time,
~All hail the Vehicular Grandpa Bluuues.
~Not just what you’d choose (you’d chooose),
~But I guess I’m thankful for,
~The Vehicular Grandpa Blues,
~Yes I thank my lucky stars,
~For the Vehicular Grandpa Blues,
~I'll say it one more time,
~All hail the Vehicular Grandpa Bluuues.