Just having woken and
risen, he was on his way to the bathroom when his father appeared. This in
itself was odd, but what was even more bizarre was that they were at his
beloved grandmother’s house.
Thus he had envisioned
having a makeshift shower in the huge white cast iron bath with magnificent
lions feet at each corner. Grandma, more accustomed to washing in a bath, had
erected a long rubber hose with a shower nozzle at one end especially for him.
The other end had cups that attached to the bath taps, much like how plungers
fit to a cow’s teats when the farmer collects the daily milk.
The only problem was
that as the pressure on the taps increased the plungers often decided they
would part from the taps and burst either extremely hot or freezing cold water
on your feet. Having a shower at Grandma’s was a risky business.
Without saying
anything it was clear that he should follow his father. He lead him to the
spare room, the one that was in between his and his grandmother’s. No one ever
used this room, since his mother and uncle had grown up. It used to be his
uncle’s room. The smallest of all three.
He recalled stories
his mother used to tell him of how she and her brother used to play chess
through the wall when they should have been sleeping at night. Each had their
own complete chess board and they whispered the moves to each other through the
wall. Fights invariably broke out as “Bishop to E5 takes queen” resulted in
“But my queen isn’t there!”
As they entered the
bedroom he noticed the man waiting inside. He had a mixture of grey and white
hair with a beard of the same makeup. What was striking, however, was his size.
Although not particularly tall, he seemed so. His body was also of a size and
yet he wasn’t overweight. It was one of those situations where you could say,
“He had a presence.”
Upon entering his
father turned and disappeared leaving him alone with the old stranger who took
his hand into his big warm palm. There was something familiar about him that
wasn’t as yet identifiable.
“You didn’t answer
me,” he opened with. His voice was deep and soft. It was a warm expression
rather than an accusation.
“I asked you about
your future.”
It was only then that
the young boy remembered meeting a man on the street. Being weary of strangers
he hadn’t answered the question and had hurried on with his business. Now, in
the company of said man, it seemed as though he’d erred. He felt he could have
at least courteously replied, instead of simple walking away. A guilty feeling
crept over him.
Before having a chance
to say anything his father returned and lay down on the bed next to them. At
that precise moment a small knowing smile crept across both their faces. In
that instant the young boy knew who the older man was. The giveaway was how the
left side of their mouths curled in exactly the same way when they smiled
presenting a small friendly grin.
His grandfather hugged
his father who had started to cry. They young boy felt strange and at peace.
Strange because his father never cried. At peace because of the love emanating
from his grandfather.
It was then that I awoke. Feeling shaken and disturbed I wondered - Who was this man?
If he was my father’s father then who was my grandfather? I was left with a
burning desire to find out more.
