My father was in one of his moods. Arms crossed, he sat in the front seat glaring at us through the windshield.
“Why is Grandpa mad?” Buddy asked. “Doesn’t he like camping?”
“Obviously not,” Cliff said.
“Why’d we bring him then?”
I looked at Cliff. “He can’t stay alone, Bud. You know that.”
“Why not?”
“Because he’s getting senile,” said Cliff. He tapped his temple. “Hardening of the arteries.”
“Daddy’s exaggerating,” I said. “Grandpa will come around soon. He’s just tired.”
Cliff snorted and began to set up the Coleman stove.
Buddy looked at his father, then my father, then back.
A tough, confusing subject for a small child to understand. Difficult for adults to deal with too, creates a lot of tension in any household that has to deal with this awful disease. Well told, Josh
Dear Josh,
Senile and hardening of the arteries. Those are terms you don’t hear much these days. You set the scene well. I could hear the voices and see the old man. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
I got the perfect picture of the old man sitting in the car, refusing to join in. And it was quite moving. Well done.
I’m with grandpa. I never liked camping
The unstated part of this story is that Grandpa is a World War II vet and that tents give him PTSD flashbacks.
Ah. That does make a difference
Oh! With that bit of history it makes all the more sense. Very well written. The setting and narration make us feel for grandpa.
Wonderful characters in this little glimpse of a family. Well done.
That’s a very moving tale. Maybe Buddy can help overcome Grandpa’s horrible memories.
Great story ! I feel for Grandpa.
Poor Buddy has two bad moods to deal with.
Nicely done.
Well done, as per usual, Josh. The confusion of the young, the acceptance of one and the not ready to accept of the other…
Ah! The joys of camping. I’ve been there! This story resonated with me. You wrote it so well and described the family tensions so accurately.
I’m with Edith. Camping’s a strain on sound minds and tempers. Then when there’s a bit of confusion… I find even folks a bit confused may nap and wake up disoriented as to time and place.
Camping can be pretty stressful when someone doesn’t want to be there. Worse if you’ve “dragged” someone along because they can’t be left by themselves.
Good story though it took me another read to get relationships right, like that Buddy was the narrator’s nephew.
three generations under one roof nay in one tent and some tensions.
https://ideasolsi65.blogspot.in/2017/08/discontent.html
The bit that intrigued me was Bud looking at his granddad, then his dad, then back again. The implication was almost “Are you senile, Dad?” BTW, is the narrator the boy’s uncle, or his mom? Seems to me both would fit.
Well done, Josh. A sign to me of a good story, is also how it gets me as the reader thinking and relating to it, as yours did with me.
We took my mother sailing and she dug in her heels too. Stayed below deck, grumbled and hasn’t been taken again. Fortunately, she could be left alone. However, my daughter didn’t like sailing much either and became scared of just about anything. So, now the rest of us go sailing while Mum and my daughter go shopping.
Both my grandparents had Alzheimers and were in their 90s. We used to visit my grandfather and he lived in a “secure facility” and they had old people holding dolls etc. The kids were young and didn’t think much of it. They went to their funerals and when my son saw that my aunt was upset, he said: “You can dig him back up”. I thought that was so sweet.
xx Rowena
Tragic in it’s own way, but poignant. Well done on creating the proper mood, sir.