Time With Charles

Dear Frank,

It’s 9:30 pm. I think I’ll read my book now. A five year old is in deep slumber next to me and the house is so quiet.

Here on my spacious bed, we are snuggled together, having gathered our bodies into a 20” space on the far left edge. It’s comfy and sweet. I’m so pleased and honored that he requested this night together. (It’s good to have time apart when you come from a big family).

An adorable and admirable person is my inquisitive, kindhearted, little curly haired, blond grandchild who has fallen asleep with his face nuzzled into my neck and his leg splayed across my stomach.

Earlier, after the bubble bath, he had chosen a big stack of books to read for bedtime. First though, he said he’d make a stack of “babyish” books to save for his cousin. Aunt Haddie and Uncle David’s baby is expected to arrive in just over two months!

Afterwards, with purpose, he got on his knees on the bed and tucked me in. Then, slid under and gathering the covers ‘round, he tucked himself in, too. We started with “Bugs Bunny’s Carrot Machine”. We read it once, then one more time. We stopped each time, repeating with delight how Elmer Fudd said the word “ingwedients”.  “Ingwedients!!” 

After a third reading, Charles giggled and covered his mouth, saying, “Again! I just love this book!” It was the fourth reading that brought his deep, slow, rhythmic breathing of sleep. I laid the other books aside and dimmed the light.

I think back to the conversations we had earlier in the evening as we were preparing dinner. I poured some chocolate milk.  He said he wanted to “save it for after I eat something nutritious”.

Later, with the nutrition outta the way, we had both chocolate milk and ice cream. He came to sit close and looked into my eyes with so much interest, with so much to talk about and with so many questions to discuss.
1. Bugs Bunny:  Do I, a grandmother, know him? his age?
2. What happens to bubbles when they go down the drain?
3. Remember the exciting time his rocket got stuck in the antlers of the chandelier at the mountain house?  It was so high that Grandpa had to use a ladder and a pool cue to get it down. 
4. How does skin heal?  
5. How do hearing aids work?

When he goes off to college, I hope we’ll remember this quiet night, this time together when he was just five. I’ll save the Bugs Bunny book as our reminder!

Love,

Jane

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—1 Corinthians 2:9