Village Squire, 1977-05, Page 24washing the cream separator as I entered the shed. After
telling her why I was there (it never occured to me to make up
a lie to tell Grandmother) she quickly wiped her hands on her
apron, tidied her hair, took me by the hand and marched me
off to school. Grandmother rapped at the school door. When
Mr. Higgins opened the door, Grandmother's honest
explanation for my lateness left nothing for me to do but bid
her good-bye and walk straight to the double desk, I shared
with my friend. Her sudden glance and,quick whisper, asking
me why I was late, was never answered. The door closed as
Grandmother turned to leave and Mr. Higgins returned to his
Senior Fourth spelling dictation. As 1 sat there and thought of
my Grandmother's long walk home to her unfinished task of
washing the cream separator, I'm sure 1 realized that my
Grandmother was somebody very special in my life.
Every September, our school participated in the Belgrave
School Fair. Making collections, finding specimens, and
putting together exhibits developed a high level of
enthusiasm at our place. Grandfather always had time to help
find wood samples, put together leaf collections and weeds
and show us how to build a bird house. But best of all he
delivered our exhibits and patiently waited at the door of the
hall and shed for our return. The year I won first prize for my
essay on weed control, he told me I knew more about weeds
than he did. Mine was written in theory from a text. I didn't
ever really think I could possibly know more than
Grandfather.
On cold and stormy days in winter, I often sat at our kitchen
window, covered in frost patterns, gazing at my Grandparents
house and the snow-covered veranda. Then Grandfather
would appear at the door, muffled up in his coat, puffing on
his pipe, heading right for our door. That was my happy time
on a dreary winter day. He read to me, usually my old story
books, but sometimes Thornton Burgess bedtime stories from
the newspaper. Then he told me stories that I'm sure he made
up as he went along. Our entertainment period came to an
end by Grandfather singing several funny ditties that made
me laugh.
There was a bell in our house, designed and installed by
Father, that Grandmother could use to ring if she needed us
and we could ring if we needed them. Grandmother rang the
bell as he finished the last ditty and he knew he must get
home to get in the night's wood and fill up the wood -box with
cedar and split maple for the morning. I begged to be allowed
to go back too. Grandfather buttoned his coat and without
saying a single word, he rolled me in the comforter at the
bottom of the couch and away we went in the storm. It was
dark and warm inside and as we entered their kitchen door,
Grandfather pretended to surprise Grandmother with the
bundle he had brought her. That cold night, Grandmother
moved the table beside the stove in the huge kitchen and we
sat close to the oven door for supper. I was sure I wanted to
stay all night. After Grandmother had put the oatmeal
porridge on to start cooking at the back of the stove, for
morning, she found a big billowy nightie for me and I
snuggled down in my Grandparents' feather bed. I awoke
some time after and decided I needed Mother and Dad.
Willingly, Grandfather bundled up and carried me home
again in the comforter, and I crawled into my own cot.
Memories of the close and warm relationship between me
and my Grandparents as I look back after all these years still
fill me with a feeling of security. I realize that this solid
foundation has served me well. Like the Rock of Gibraltar, it
will always be there. May I have the grace and good fortune to
establish thi, rapt: : with our little grandson.■
22, VILLAGE SQUIRE/MAY 1977.
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