Grandpa's Memories

The room was silent apart from the words coming from a little girl's mouth. "Jesus, please look after Mummy and Daddy and our kitten Fluffy and Grandma. And please make sure that Grandpa doesn't get lost up in Heaven. I heard that it's really big uo there. Thank you Jesus. Amen."1

Grandpa's ghost descended from the corner of the room. The edges of his mouth wrinkled into a grin as he watched the girl stand up from the side of her bed. He wondered if a stroke on the forehead would go unnoticed. Evidently it did, as Grandpa's large hand reached out to caress her tiny head as she climbed into bed. Grandpa kissed his grand-daughter's forehead and drifted out of the door.2

Upon entering the bathroom, Grandpa was greeted by the familiar mirror that no longer reflected his face. He always took for granted the daily glance in the mirror and quick comb of the whiskers on his face that Grandma always hated. Grandpa moved his hand to push his glasses further up his nose. He went to put a empty toothpaste tube in the bin before tidying the remainder of the counter-top surrounding the sink. The house was always tidy when Grandpa was around. They say habits die hard; some never die at all.3

The next room Grandpa came to was quiet and still with the exception of two long needles clicking together. Grandpa's beloved widow slouched in a mess of coloured wooll in her favourite armchair. Grandpa remembered their first date; the walk in the park that hot summer's afternoon, hand-in-hand. He remembered how smitten he was. The thing he loved most about her was her radiant smile. Now she carried tears on her cheeks and a miserable frown on her lips. Grandpa cursed. He hated himself for leaving her. He couldn't bear to see the hurt in her eyes.4

He took one last glance around the room; his eyes resting on photographs of his family on the wall. His thirteen grandchildren contained in the largest frame stared back at him. He turned to see his cricket trophies. He remembered his final game at the beginning of the year. His team lost miserably, yet they still managed to have as much fun as always.5

Unwilling to think about his past anymore, he slipped back to the corner of his young grand-daughter's room. "Don't worry sweetheart," Grandpa's weary but calm voice echoed around the room, "I won't get lost."