A grandpa’s mind

John was sitting on a bench in the park wondering what to say to his son Paul .He raised

his head to see a middle-aged woman looking at him."John" she cried. "It is you, I thought

it was you. You’ve hardly changed since secondary school." She sat down next to

him."Sorry, do I know you?" he asked, frowning deeply. Actually he wanted to be alone

with his grief. “Amelia! That’s my name. “She said.”We were in the same class."Oh, yes."

He remembered the name and tried to make a friendly response, but his lips refused to

smile. "Great, it’s good to see you again. So how’s your life?" she asked. "Fine." He replied.

But actually he was lying when he said so. But it seemed to him easier to give a

monosyllable answer than to try to put into words that life had taken away his grandson.

"Life’s good for me as well," said Amelia. “ my second grandson is having his third birthday

next week”. He felt so gloomy. "Oh." John said. He chewed his bottom lip and looked down

at the pathway. He didn’t want to know about her grandchild when his one and only had

been cruelly taken away. Amelia started talking about her naughty grandson again and

john noticed that her eyes were sparkling with happiness while his were sparkling with

tears. John felt so exasperated and gave her an annoying look which made her stop. She

then asked “Aren’t you a Grandpa yet?” John felt so annoyed that he stood up facing the

park turning away from her face. John replied gloomily “my 4 year old grandson, my dear

Matthew, I had warned him several times not to leave the house without his father’s

permission. Last Saturday …. the ruthless fate ….. the accident .. “John’s sound started to

shiver and tears began dropping down his cheeks. “I’m sorry," whispered Amelia. "I don’t

know what to say." "That’s exactly how I feel about my son," he said. "Paul lost his wife to

cancer last year and now he’s lost his little boy. Amelia stood up. Amelia glanced at her

watch and said "I have to go now, John. Try to stay positive. Don’t dwell on... don’t dwell on

such things. Think of the happy times. See you again, Bye." Amelia left the park. John sat

on the bench, recollecting the happy memories of bringing Matthew to the park, pushing

him on the swing and so on. Suddenly large drops of rain began to fall. He stood up and

walked towards the children’s playground wetting himself in the rain. By then he noticed

that he was all alone in the park except a small figure on one of the swings. He went closer

and closer to that figure. His heart pounded when he noticed that it was the little Matthew.

"Push me, grandpa." The small figure said."Matthew!" john burst into tears. His grandson

jumped off the sing and hugged john. "It’s all right, Grandpa. Mummy is with me now there

in the skies. She is so sad that she left papa and you alone in the world and now she called

me too. The grandson and grandpa looked each other with great love and then the little

figure said,” I have to go now, Mummy’s calling me. Goodbye grandpa." Suddenly the

figure ran away from john and after giving a smiling look at john it vanished in space. John

felt his body trembling with lot of different feelings and emotions. Later, when he got to

Paul’s house he embraced him and told him about the incident. John still believes that it

was all real while his son thinks it was all an illusion of despaired mind. - by Amogh. K.

Ravi