Ten Sure Isn't Eleven

It is clearly not his 10^th year anymore

 

 

I love picking Evan up after school. We have twenty minutes to ourselves and since he is the eldest grandchild I miss all the alone time we used to have.

 

I remember spending time with my grandparents fondly. They lived in the upstairs apartment and we lived on the ground floor. Like Evan I was the oldest grandchild, my sisters are twins and four years younger than me. I always  thought that I spent so much time with them because I was the ‘favourite’….. Then in late 2005, my eldest daughter Meegan had her twins, Norah and Jacob. Sometime during the next year, spent in her basement helping out, it dawned on me that maybe there was another reason why my mother sent her 4 year old upstairs to visit all the time.

 

To get back to my story…Evan and I sit and talk while we wait for his brother to get out of school. . I want Evan to remember this time too. Most of our memorable conversations these days start with:

 

Evan: “So Grandma….do you know the difference between a WWI  and a WWII tank?”

Me: “No,” (Me staring blankly, while he explains in great detail.)

 

Or Evan:  “Grandma, you know what black holes are " right?”

Me: “I wrote an astronomy paper in university about black holes.”

Evan: “Really?” (Looking at me with shocked disbelief, or admiration. Not sure which.)

 

But sometimes it is innocence busting conversations such as:

 

Evan:  “Grandma, so about the tooth fairy…”

Me: (Now he had my attention.) “What about the tooth fairy Evan?” I mumbled when I finally could get my brainstem to re-boot my breathing.

 

Evan: “Well I know she isn’t real, but I don’t know how to tell mom. “

Me: “How did you find out?”

Evan: “You just hear things when you’re eleven, you know?”

Me: (Swallowing the smirk.)..”Yes.”

 

Next day:

 

Evan: “So Grandma, how was your day?”

Me: “Great and yours?”

Evan: “Well about Santa…..”

Me: “What about him Evan (gulp)?”

Evan: “I just can’t believe how much trouble mom went to the last two years, making the videos, placing the foot prints on the fireplace and finding glasses to leave on the table…”

Me: “She loves you and Gibson very much Evan.”

 

Last year this discussion went something like this:

 

Evan: Why do some kids think there’s no Santa. Do they really believe their parents can afford to spend all that money on gifts? I think we should post our video on the internet so everyone can see the REAL thing. And just where would someone get glasses exactly like Santa’s? I hope he has a spare pair. Well the elves could probably make him new ones. I bet he leaves glasses lots of places on his travels…I wonder if there is a Lost & Found for Santa glasses? …. All said in one long breath…

 

Oh to be ten again…!

Reviews

[Samuel Dickens]

This is sweet and brought a smile to my face. My only two grandchildren live hundreds of miles away, so I guess I'll never get to experience what you have, not exactly, at least. I did get to have similar experiences with my youngest son, though. (He's now 21 and about to graduate college)

[Gray Witch]

Time just flies by - doesn't it?

[william keepers]

This is an awesome story Leslie, really glad you shared it. As a child I was very gullible and believed just about everything I was told. It was actually my little sister who told me there was no Santa I must admit with a little embarasment. I asked my Mom about this and she confirmed it. I felt a little deceived by this, and in a way it was kind of like the beginning of the end of my innocence and gullibility. And ironically I believe I was eleven when this happened...

[Gray Witch]

LOL... must be THE age ....

[william keepers]

Too true!!

[CecilA]

Gray Witch,

I love this story.Thank you for sharing these precious moments with Evan. It took me back to the 1950's when I spent time with my maternal grandmother. You could be her.

Your writing is addictive: always want more.

Your dialog really makes your story come alive; great job. Even if were fiction it's believable.

Cecil

[Gray Witch]

It's true - not fiction but I categorized it based on length and word count therefore the Flash Fiction label. Maybe just non-fiction will be my choice from now on...

Me

[CecilA]

I felt that it was non-fiction. Perhaps non-fiction has an audience too. I got caught up in fiction as a result of reading Shaara's war stories. My grandson, Matthew, and I have been sharing his books on the Civil War, WWI and WWII. His characters, real life people, come alive in his writing. I hope to be as good some day.

My current struggle is a balance of show and tell. How do you balance your writing so well? Sometimes I get stuck; in a rut so to speak. Then when I read my writing, I cringe. For now, I read and reread good literature and try to learn from the writers.

Some writers have written other writers works over and over to improve. I'm afraid that if I do that I will loose my individuality.

You see you are dealing with a nut case.

I appreciate your sharing.

Cecil

[Gray Witch]

LOL...I too get stuck...I find I then go and do some of the description...non threatening stuff until I feel strong enough to continue...I also cringe a lot ....Like tonight I am describing an office... not scary at all until I place the people in there ....

[Ahmad Cox]

I have to admit this one brought a smile to my face. It brought me back to then I was young as well.

[Marie]

I never thought of it this way, but I suppose Santa carries a few extra pairs of glasses at all times.

[DrD]

Ten year olds are great at teaching us how corrupted we've become by age. A delightful entry, almost like a diary, that is enchanting and joyous to read.

[Gray Witch]

Thanks Doc. Sometimes I just have to write something other than horrific reminders of the past... Evan is my muse...so open and honest - A joy!

[Robert Lincoln]

That's a very cute story - my kids were very slow to let go of Santa. If I hadn't given them subtle nudges, I wonder sometimes if they might still believe in him as seniors in college.

[Gray Witch]

LOL.... funny!

[Claire Twinn]

Sweet! I remember that time between belief and disbelief in my daughter's childhood, she knew it wasn't true really but clung onto it as a sweet thought anyway.

[Gray Witch]

I remember that on my own children too...What fun it is getting to go all through it again...

[David Scott]

What grand memories! Love this. I used to have my kids talk to the Tooth Fairy on the phone... :-)
Thanks.

[Gray Witch]

Really? How creative ...LOL...Was it a male or female? LOL

[David Scott]

My assistant at work had to explain why she could not get to our house thru the snow storm with her delicate wings...
I fell asleep and forgot to exchange the tooth for money. My daughter was
crushed. I told her that in my line of work,( I'm a dentist), that I have to talk with the tooth fairy on a regular basis. We kinda work together on some projects... so I told her that I would send a secret note to the tooth fairy and ask to to call. I assured her that there must be a logical explanation... Thank God it snowed that night! She was so happy to hear from the tooth fairy and of course she left her tooth under the pillow when the snow cleared up...

[Gray Witch]

I think everyone has a story like that...LOL...When we were at Disneyland last April one of Evan's teeth fell out...In the morning I could hear him throwing the bed clothes around and searching. I realized that Siobhan must have forgotten so I threw some money under a pillow in a corner when I began to help him search.He just figured he must have missed it first time around ..