Grandpa George

                                    My grandfather is a retired veteran from the old British Royal Army. He fought many battles and survived. He also worked in the Vice Roy’s Royal Commission. I call him ‘Tata’ and I don’t know why! He is very strict but at the same time, caring too. He always wants me to get up early in the morning and to do some exercises. He firmly believes in the proverb “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” He says that early in the morning, from about 4 O' clock to 6 O' clock, there's a special gas which comes down to the earth's surface. If we do some inhaling and exhaling in this fresh air, it will replace the dirty air in our body with the pure air present outside. He also mentioned that after 6 O' clock the sunlight reaches the earth and this gas disappears. 

                               Grandpa George was hardworking and always wanted to help others. He has never punished me for anything and that is why I love him. His skin was dark. He had spectacles and needed a stick to walk. Many other people of his age were either dead or hospitalized but my grandpa could still walk at that old age because he was also an athlete. He was the champion of Bombay Provincial Olympics in the 50’s and many other sports meet. He never quarreled or fought with others. You know what they say, “Wise men talk less.” His decisions were pitch perfect and his advice were like arrows which could be stored in your quiver.

                          His lightning speed in running also made him a good football player. He was in the Indian Football team during the British rule and that team consisted of ten Englishmen and one Indian and that Indian was my grandpa. He was known as ‘The Iron Back Of Jabalwala’ .Jabalwala was an old city of British India. He was called by this name because he was a great defender, a defender who scored at least two goals in every game he played. He was a nightmare to his opposing teams. The opposing teams used place two players on either side of grandpa to make sure that he didn't get the ball, but for my grandpa this tactic was just a piece of cake. He used a trick to confuse the opposing players. The trick was, when the ball went right, he ran to the left side, when the ball was kicked to the left side, he ran to the right side. The two players placed on his sides went crazy. They were like, “What the heck is he doing?” By using this counter-tactic he scored many goals.

                                 At his young age he trained by himself on sandy river banks which improved his running speed. He had no coach or any teacher. He studied at MES (Military Engineering Service) for 2 years at Pune. I would like to tell you about one of his experiences from his archives;

                   One day when he was in Kashmir, India, heavy snowfall occurred. At that time, one of his soldier's fell sick. His fever was severe. My grandfather told the camp commander about the situation. The camp commander said, "It is almost midnight, there is nothing we can do." my grandfather asked the camp commander if he would give him permission to carry that soldier on his back to the main base camp. The commander said that it was his pleasure to grant him permission. My grandpa took that soldier on his shoulders and carried him to the base camp. At the time of my grandpa's retirement the camp commander said to his fellow soldiers that they will not find a soldier like my grandpa in the whole of India.

             After retiring from Indian Army he went to Kuwait and worked as an Air Traffic Controller in the Kuwait International Airport. He used to write articles for the Kuwait Airways monthly magazine. Even when he was at a high post in the military he didn't buy a house or some land for him instead he made sure all his brothers and sisters were well settled. After they got settled, he bought some land in his wife’s name. He never had anything for himself.

           3 weeks before his death, he had a heart attack. He was taken to a hospital. The doctor said that one of his kidneys failed, he had infections in his heart and throat, and the heart attack caused blood to clot in his brain. Although half of his brain was covered with clotted blood, he could recognize everyone; talk with them and in some situations he could even write!

                     He died on 27^th June 2014. He was 94 years old. He was a good soldier and an athlete who is still unknown to the world. I pray that men like him will be remembered by us in the future. 

Reviews

[Emmy Cannon]

It's a very good way in keeping his memory alive. Telling us about the past. If you put some dialogue between your character telling the story and Grandpa maybe it will be more appiling. Also do more showing. Set a scene and show us what happened. It's really good. Just show a little more and tell a little less. All about the balance.