The Observer
(islandcircumambulation.blogspot.com)
I’m practicing to be a
grandfather. My grandchild and her
parents are going to be living right next door for the next year so it’s
necessary that I be prepared to be grand-fatherly all the time, not just now
and then when we or they, like, come to visit. Forgive me if now and then I use
‘like’ as a conjunctive adverb. I
figure if I’m going to be the grandfather of a 21st century child I
should become, like, more contemporary.
My relationship with my grandchild will not be occasional. They will be living only a short
distance from our house. It’s nine
feet, ten inches, give or take a fraction, to their bathroom window, which is
where I expect to take delivery of the child most often. That makes sense because it will
quickly become apparent to my daughter and her husband that handing the child
through the win-dow means I won’t come in at the door and then linger, offering
par-enting suggestions. I
might, after taking the baby in my arms, opt, weather permitting, to hover out-side
the window and offer the same sage counsel but whichever of them has given me
the child has only to offer an excuse and shut the window, much easier than trying
to push me out the door. If
he is fussy I will walk her (I’m exper-imenting with pronouns) around the first
floor of our house (seven-ty eight steps) singing Up a Lazy River and You
Made Me Love You quietly in his ear just like I did with my daughter. I’ve been practicing with the cat who
(or is it that?) prefers Lazy River. If she’s not
being fussy though, I will play with him on a rug I’ve installed for that
purpose in my office. I’ve some
toys, a doll house and a tool-box and am
ready.
Phil Crossman
....and today, we took this photo.
all is right with the world.
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