Its getting late, almost three am and I should be in bed, but I'm just not tired. Ever have one of those spells when you simply don't seem to tire regardless how active you are? I do with great frequency it seems of late.
I had a rather full day all things considered. And it didn't settle down until well after midnight despite the fact that it was only Nathaniel and myself around. He can keep his old gramps busy when he's of the mind.
After a light supper we pulled all the patio furnature out of the storage shed, scrubbed it and placed it on the patio. Then we proceeded to give the old pool its spring shock treatment. It really amounts to little more than super chlorinating it, but there are a few other chemicals we add to give it the old boost it needs in order to be ready for swimming. Then we fired up the heater so that it will be a decent temperature for swimming in the afternoon.
After that was done we scrubbed the hot tub and fired that up so it can be used as well. I don't think it even was used all that much last year. But there was quite a lot going on. I do enjoy soaking in the hot tub though. Its quite relaxing.
By then it was dark so we headed back inside. Nate wanted to whip my butt all over the pool table again so we played for about an hour or so. Its shameful the way that kid can whip up on his old gramps like that without remorse. There ought to be a law or something. Grandchildren will under no circumstances defeat there grandfathers at any game of skill, under sever penalty of the law. Not gonna happen? Oh well, I guess I'll just have to learn to live with it. Looks like it going to happen with regularity from here on out.
Its bad enough when your children start to whip up on you, but your grand ones, shouldn't happen I tell ya!
By then Nate wanted a snack and his hearts desire was Hagen Das Strawberry, so off to the market we went. Naturally while we were there several other necessary items popped into his mind. We were doing fine until we got to the pharmacy department.
I thought we were ready to head to the check out when he pulled me aside and whispered in my ear the next item on his list. I was nearly struck dumb. "You want what?" I said without even thinking. "You'll have to talk to you father about that one!"
I'll leave it to the imagination as to just what the item was, but needless to say we marched over to the approproate display and placed the requested item in the cart. I would never have considered asking my grandfather for such a thing at his age. But that was some time ago.
Once we arrived home we had a lengthy chat about a number of things. Not the least of which was under the general heading; "Are you sure you are ready for this?" He insisted that he didn't intend to use them, he just wanted them just in case. Like I hadn't heard that one before. Well actually I hadn't, not from anyone that mattered at any rate.
He started ot get a little testy after a while so I let the issue drop. "For now!" I thought, "It will be addressed again at another time. Meanwhile I hope he doesn't get the idea that I am in favor of such activities at his age." I know, I'm beginning to sound like an old prude or something. But its not really that at all. I just worry about, well a lot of things really. I don't expect a kid to remain, well pure, forever. Especially these days, but I just was't ready for this, thats all. Give me a decade or two, then maybe. Oh damn, just who do I think I'm fooling here. A part of me was, well, proud. Yes proud, that he thought to be prepared, proud that he trusted his old gramps with that particular request.
And just who is this Justin Case fellow anyway? Ok, weak! I know, I know.
Anyway back to the story. After he consumed a bag of tortilla chips & salsa (hot mind you, not the medium or mild stuff I'd choose), half a bag of double stuffed oreos, and his pint of ice cream we retired to the living room where we spent the next hour or so chatting about anything other than what was on my mind.
I don't generally drink liquor in front of the young ones, but he had just declared himself on the threshold of adulthood so I poured myself a highball glass full of Dewars and plunked it on the stand between us. I guess I was pouting, I think that would be the best description of my behavior. I can't think of any other way to describe it other than perhaps I was throwing a tantrum. Imagine, a sixty-eight year old man pouting and throwing a tantrum. Well that was me at my worst. I quickly felt like quite the fool.
So I stood, grabbed the glass and returned it to the wet bar where I poured it out without so much as a sip. "What the hell am I thinking?" I thought to myself. I then went over to him, knelt on the floor beside his chair and asked his forgiveness. It was a hard thing to do, asking the forgiveness of a child about to become a man. Oh, don't trouble me with the platitudes and salient words of wisdom. They would be quite wasted on this old fool. I care little for what society considers the norm in this matter. I'm just not ready, its as simple as that.
He continues to surprise me on a regular basis though. He removed the dreaded symbol of impending adulthood fom his pocket and handed it to me. So there I was, this dreaded totem in my hand, tears in my eyes, trembling and and feeling so unwise. "Here gramps, you keep them. When I'm ready I'll let you know. Ok?"
God I love that kid!
