A Grandpa and his Grandsons

A Grandpa and his Grandsons

I was heading over to see my dad again,

A journey I’ve taken 13 times

Since we received the dreaded diagnosis.

A couple months have passed 

That have landed like years.

Time contracts and expands in what feels like

A mysterious interstellar worm hole.

 

Just before I clambered into my car, 

I had a combustible thought

Explode into my mind

And then out my mouth

Before I could douse my flaming tongue,

“I can take the boys with me today.”

(wait, what did I just say?)

Heidi didn’t put up a fight. ;)

 

Caleb reacted with nostril-flaring joy

While Josh vacillated, visibly unenthused.

Just when I thought he would stay home,

Caleb introduced the dangling carrot,

a catnip that bewitches his older brother:

“Josh, we can bring the iPad to play!”

Extending his arms like Frankenstein,

He moved toward the car, spellbound.

 

We had a blast together on the ride over,

Singing their KidZone praise songs 

And making up random guessing games

Which evoked shotgun giggles

Filling the car with Dolby surround sound.

I had no idea how much I needed

To act like a little boy with them.

 

We pulled into Gramma and Grandpa’s driveway

And they ran like springboks to the front door.

I opened it up and they stormed

The apartment like tomb raiders,

Shocking every slumbering heart to life

Like a volt-jolt from an electric fence. 

There is no stronger current of energy

Than the life and laughter of children.

 

Dad called the boys over to his lazy boy,

“Come ‘ere and give your ol’ grandpa a hug!”

I could sense their hesitation initially

That quickly gave way to a freedom of fortune

As they glanced at PopPop’s face

Plastered with an inviting smile.

What a change from weeks ago

When they didn’t quite know

How to interact with their dying patriarch.

His welcoming and winsome spirit

Has pressed through the dirt recently 

Like a daring springtime daffodil.

 

Within ten minutes they were performing

Their KidZone worship songs for dad,

Belting out bars like beached whales,

Gyrating around with interpretive dance

That brought my mom to tears.

“Let’s hear the other two songs.”

Dad piped in, surprising us all just a little.

He hasn’t wanted much of really anything lately,

So to hear him hungry for more was refreshing.

It was a brief flashback to his former glory.

 

I sat in between this generational interaction,

The fulcrum center within this seesaw of play.

Father to these energetic grandsons,

Son to this sagacious grandpa—

Life being given and received,

Like plants effortlessly exchanging 

Oxygen and carbon dioxide

With the human race,

Keeping each other alive.

 

I stood in between them both 

feeling fearfully human.