Mom assuredthatshewouldtakecareofitoncewegetbacktoourhome andboughtmechocolatestocalm medown. Iwasstilheartbroken, but chocolatesdidmakemefeelalotbeter. Thenextday, Isawmyshoeskeptneatlyontheshoecaseunderthestairs, alshinyandclean. Iwasgawkingatthem withdisbeliefandlaterlearnt thatGrandpahadbeenscrubbingandcleaningthem almostalofthe eveningthepreviousday. Ihadnoideaandhedidn ' tevencomeandclaim hisshareofthecredit. Thatday, Iwashappieraboutthefactthathewas myGrandpathanmyshoesbeingcleanagain.
Iheardstoriesabouthim from mymother. Howhehelpedanyonewho askedforit, andhowsimplemindedhehadalwaysbeen. Heworkedhard alhislife, andearnedacomfortablelivingformymotherandhersister, my aunt.
Andthenoneday, thetimewhenIwasfinishingschoolandonthevergeof getingintocolege, Iheardhewashospitalised. Heneededaheart operation. Iwasveryworiedbuthissurgerywentwel. Everythingwasslowlycoming backtonormal, butwhentheyshiftedhim totheICU, hecaughtcold. They saidpneumonia.
Itmadehisconditionworse.
Ivisitedhim inthehospital, onlytofindhim jabbedwithmultipleneedles hereandthereandanoxygenmaskassistinghim tobreathe. Thegentle beepingoftheheartratemonitorbeingtheonlythinginthecabinassuring thathewasstilalive.
TearsroleddownmycheeksandIjustcouldn ' tstopthem. Grandpafeltmy presenceandhalfopenedhiseyes. Hetriedtosmileandsaidsomething whichwasinaudible. ButIlistenedhardandsomehowthroughhismufledvoice, Ifiguredthat hewantedmetomakehim acupoftea.
Ididn ' tknowwhichoneswereIalowedtotouchandwhichonesnot, soI
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