A Closer Walk With Grandpa

If life consisted of one long walk with my grandpa… I would never tire of living.

*This story involves Absolute Ridiculousness.*

The other day, I decided to go for a ‘short walk’ before I got ready for class… so I asked Grandpa to accompany me. Of course, by the time he got his shoes and jacket on, I could have come and gone twice over, but that wasn’t the point. I wanted to get him out of the house, and I wanted to spend some time with him.

He took me down this beautiful dirt road that I didn’t even know existed in the center of Charlton, Massachusetts… it reminded me of my favorite places in Vermont, what with the trees glistening and the streams gurgling. And there were birds flying and flitting and singing all about. Right off, we spotted a flock of wild turkeys. They were silly and chubby and clucked about themselves. However, it didn’t take them long to spot us, and they quickly skuttled away. I was sad to see them go. Soon after, though, we saw a beautiful buck! When Grandpa first told me it was an eight-point one, I initially assumed we were suddenly trapped in a video game, but then I realized he meant the buck’s antlers. He was a gorgeous sight.

My grandpa, eight-point buck that he is, was simply adorable. While we were entering the beginning of the trail, he sort of stumbled over this (very small) pile of brush. I was worried he would fall at first, but he caught himself, then muttered: “Well, they’re certainly not trying to make this path conducive to walking…”  Goodness, I adore that man. Moments later, he stretched out his walking stick and pointed at a couple beer cans in the woods, saying: “Ancient relics. From an old civilization.” I just shook my head, stifling a giggle.

After walking through the woods aimlessly for a while, and then a while longer, I realize that this man is haphazardly choosing left or right and has no idea where he’s taking me. So we look at each other, and he says: “Perhaps we should have followed the turkeys.”

We were both in good humor, though, especially him. We found a deflated balloon in the middle of the woods, and he goes, “Either this is where the balloon finally decided to land… or the buck was throwing a bash for the turkeys.” He looks at me, stone-faced. “Or visa-versa, of course.”

About a half hour later (still aimless and rambling), he lamented: “You’re not gonna be too happy with your grandpa when we get home, are you? You’re gonna tell me to mend my ways.” ... I had to cover a smile.

Needless to say, our twenty-minute walk turned into the length of a few hours, and I missed my class. When we finally came out of the woods, we collected our bearings and realized we were a couple miles down a side street in Charlton. This came as quite a shock to both of us, and was nervous since Grandpa had already clocked in enough cardio for his 78-year-old bones. So I jogged ahead the couple miles and returned with the car for Grandpa. You might consider this quite the heroic effort on my part, but I was panting away and barely able to make the trek myself.

Later that evening, Grandma asked me what I would have done had Grandpa had a heart attack or hurt himself. Before I could respond, Grandpa said, “Just make me comfortable and cover me up with leaves. That’s what you do with deer.”

So the moral of the story is don’t go on walks with Grandpa and a time frame.

But always, always go on walks with Grandpa.

Author's Note

Right now this stands as basically an outline of the day, not very descriptive or flowery. This is different for me, and I'm not sure whether I should add to it, or keep it as it is.

Reviews

[The Random Writings Of ..]

Wow kara, as a I see the humor in this i also see the beauty. It is such a lovely story, and makes me wish I had known my own grandpa. I got a little chocked up reading this bcs of the simple beauty and the everyday things we take for granted, like a walk with a loved one or the beauty of that around us.
This is a great write and I am glad I had the chance to read it.
xoxo

[hyancynthstofeedthysoul]

Leave it as it is. My Great Grandfather told me the secret of storytelling. Give them the bones they will supply the flesh. Simplicity is the secret.

Maybe you could say, ''So the moral of the story is don�t go on walks with Grandpa [without] a time frame.


My Granddaughter just turned four. As of now our walks consist of going from car to restaurant. Longer one's will have to wait until the HMO approves my surgery. I am about to trade these 72 year old knees in for a new pair. Then Ashley and I will be able to meander down those trails. Until then we will take walks in our minds as I tell her about the hills of my native Kentucky. Hopefully I will Be able to take her ''sanging''. That is what we call hunting for ginseng root. I remember the times my sons and I did that. It is almost spiritual, a rite of passage I learned from my Great Grandfather, never haveing known my Grandfather. Strange that I never knew either of my Grandfathers, but spent much time with my Great Grandfather.

[Rylan Batten]

this was extremely enjoyable, a really heartfelt, thoughtful piece filled with sweet nostalgia for all of us who miss our grandpas.

[THE BLACK SEAL]

priceless another fave too. g

[J. Hampton]

The segue...and the last paragraph before your ending statement...stole my heart for thius eight-point-buck ( luv that !!)


You count it not flowert...lol I beg to differ ...this is a rich bouquet of humor...bonding...patience and love
Absolutely priceless...

Blesssssssssss

[Hedra Helix]

Gorgeous real details. this especially got me good: Before I could respond, Grandpa said, "Just make me comfortable and cover me up with leaves. That's what you do with deer."
bestest line ever.

You may wanna take a look at this though: So the moral of the story is don't go on walks with Grandpa and a time frame.

IMHO it would be smoother to go.. So the moral of the story is, don't go on walks with Grandpa with a time frame.
or : So the moral of the story is, when walking with grandpa, no time frame.

"and a time frame" makes it mean something slightly different.

Your very first sentence, and this one : "Well, they're certainly not trying to make this path conducive to walking�" Goodness, I adore that man.
are marvelous.
I hear your TRUTH come shining through in those and its such a gift to us.

thank you for mixing so much heart into your stories. Teaches me a lot.

[Raven: The Thought Hole]

Wow........... this... wow i'm speechless... its so... pure so... simple
"They were silly and chubby and clucked about themselves. However, it didn't take them long to spot us, and they quickly skuttled away. I was sad to see them go." That made me smile

"When Grandpa first told me it was an eight-point one, I initially assumed we were suddenly trapped in a video game, but then I realized he meant the buck's antlers. He was a gorgeous sight." Then that made me laugh because happiness had built up with in me :-p.

"wanted to get him out of the house, and I wanted to spend some time with him." I'd add a paragraph or talk about why you wanted to get him out of the house.

Wow.. I'm really speechless here. You writing here was so true to who you are and it worked! It made me smile and laugh and at the end I felt like you had told me that story to me directly, as though it was for me and only for me. Bravo... very simple to the heart writing. It may not like go in a story arc, but it's beautiful. The way I'd make it go in a story arc if you wanted to is... make the girl truly worried about her grandpa having a heart attack and the darkness closing and have the tension build up and then have it release at the end :).

AMAZING JOB! Haven't seen a story this true to the heart in a while.

[J.P.O.et]

This is very different for you
I commend and respect you
for stepping outside of your
comfort zone
I have been very sad recently
about the loss of a friend
'The Addict'
and I found myself chuckling
'they're certainly not trying to make this path conducive for walking'
'Maybe we should have followed the turkeys'
Spoken like any true grandpa
Thanx for making me laugh a lil
J.P.O.et

[OilsandSyntax]

Very charming little glimpse of your life here. As for whether to add to it or keep it as is...it just depends on what you're trying to accomplish with the peice. Who are you writing it for....that sort of thing...and I'm sure you'll figure it all out without my two cents! This little story was very en"dear"ing...okay, sorry for the pun...I couldn't resist.

[Tim McGovern]

I just became a grandpa 15 months ago.
My daughter her husband and the baby just moved in with us this weekend, we added and addition.
From the day she was born I knew this baby and I had a very special connection.
My greatest hope is that someday she will have a memory like this with me and think enough of it to set it down in words.
It's beautiful
you're a good grand daughter
Namaste'

[J. Marc]

This is a very cozy story. Cozy for the sense of warmth and closeness that you put into it. Cozy for the reader who can simply imagine the leaves cracking under the shoes and indeed the other beautiful images of Vermont and maybe the comfort of a fireplace�Who knows?

We do have a special relationship with our grandparents. It may seem too trite to say so, but this relationship really is special. The grandparents do not have the stress of the parents and they do educate us in a different manner: they focus on transmitting the real values, the human values. Grandparents do connect us with nature in a very simple way, away from ecology and environmental concerns. They show us the value of all those "nothings" that our parents do not notice anymore.

Hence your story brings the reader back to the same warm, good feeling that, I hope, all your reviewers did have with their grandparents. This review comes from someone who has lived in Massachussets and has visited Vermont, not frequently enough to my taste, unfortunately! Thank you very much Kara Emily for writing the story I would have loved to have written!