Grandpa's List

Simon sat on his childhood bed, wondering how he ended up back here. Sure, he left his home for college like most other kids; but he never thought he would be back. Now he has been for over a week and still has no idea what his future looks like. Simon hears his mother calling for him from downstairs and flops on his back just like the good ole days… well the old days. Getting up, he goes downstairs to find his mother putting the last plate on their dining table.

“Oh, Simon! There you are. I was just about to go get you. Did you sleep alright?” He can tell she is worried about him, but he is too. He needs to figure out his plan out of here. Taking his seat and starting breakfast, he replies, “Just like a baby.”

“Oh, that is good. I know you just got back, but I actually have been holding onto something for you… from your grandfather.” She pauses to take in his reaction. Both of them lost contact with his grandfather years ago. Honestly he was never in his mother’s life for long periods of time. He knew his grandfather had passed away, but he didn’t know he left them anything.

“What is it? What did he leave you?”

“Um, it is a box; but I thought it might be rude to open it. So I don’t really know; but um, he left me his old car. Doesn’t run, of course.” She laughs, but he can see that she still has mixed feelings about it.

“Do you think I should open it, then?”

“That is your choice, honey. I know he was in and out a bit; but he was my dad and I mean I did love that car. I just never got the chance to drive it.” This time she laughs a bit heartier before letting it die off.

“OK, Mom. I will take a look at it.” They both went about their breakfast, each lost in thoughts and not noticing the lack of conversation. After, he offered to clean up since he knew his mom had work. She thanked him before going on with her day. By the time he was done, she had said her goodbyes and drove away. Drying his hands, his eyes finally land on the box sitting on the kitchen counter. She must have brought it down before heading out.

Taking the box, he heads back up to his room. Again on his bed, he peels off the tape preferring to apparently take the most difficult route in opening it. With the contents finally accessible, he starts to take out an assortment of objects and a little black notebook. Curious, he opens the notebook to find a handwritten story. It takes a few pages, but he realizes that the objects correlate to the story and these must be the memories of his grandfather.

Spending the afternoon reading, Simon actually enjoys the details that his grandfather has shared with him. He certainly left out the harsher parts that affected his family, but now Simon actually feels like he knew the man. Turns out he actually lived close to them in a neighboring town at the retirement center before he passed away. Simon paused to wonder why he never reached out to them then if he was so close. Why this method and his mom didn’t say anything about her own letter or even a notebook. Sighing, he turns the next page and bolts up. There is a check in this little black notebook.

Unfolding the check, it is indeed real… and for twenty thousand dollars! This is exactly what he needs to get back out in the world and try his shot again. Excitedly standing up completely, the book hits the ground reminding him of the check’s origin. Picking it up, he continues reading and finds a true letter to him from his grandfather. He explains how he was afraid to reach out for so many years and that fear of rejection kept him from making things right. So now as he sits in his final days and writes out his story, he wants him (Simon) to help clear out some karma for the other side. Then he can use the rest for whatever he wants. (Sweet!) Turning the page, he reads the list:

Give your mother the sweet sixteen she deserves.

Take Sarah on a date.

Skydive.

Looking at the list, Simon blanks. He understands one and three easily enough with making things right and then maybe a bucket list thing; but who in the world was Sarah? Hearing his mom come home, he decides to share with her some of what he found out and maybe hear if she knows this Sarah.

“Welcome home,” he greets her as he helps her with the groceries. It looked like his mother picked up some easy ingredients for a simple dinner tonight. Smiling as he takes some of the load, his mother responds, “Hello, how did your day go?”

They step into the kitchen and pick up an easy routine to put the groceries away while setting up for dinner. “Honestly, I got so caught up I forgot to eat lunch. He left me with some things he wants done.”

She laughs and says, “That sounds about right. What does he want you to do exactly?”

Thinking quickly, he decides he will keep the first item a mystery. A surprise redo sweet sixteen sounds like more fun. “To go skydiving and take some lady named Sarah on a date. Do we even know a Sarah?”

“Hmm. Well I don’t, but he clearly thinks you can figure it out. Was there anything else in the box to give you a clue?”

“Well, he did say that he lived in a retirement home in a town kind of close by. I could go check that out.”

“That sounds like a nice plan. Maybe she is someone he had a crush on. How is everything else going?” He actually hadn’t thought about that at all since this morning. So he replied, “Honestly, I have nothing figured out.”

“That’s okay. You will get there. Now let’s eat.” With dinner ready, conversation turned more to his mother and her day. His mind was already working out how to figure out what kind of birthday she wanted anyway. They parted ways after dinner and he goes to the spare room.

He finds the yearbooks he is looking for and looks over his mother’s highschool years. He gets through a couple without any ideas until suddenly he sees it. Tabitha! They are old high school friends! She would know. Man, never let her find out that he didn’t think of her immediately. Getting up, he pulls out his phone and sends a quick text to his mother’s longest friend. He is settled back in his room when she responds. Through quick text conversation, he finds out that his mother did in fact love that car and thought the old man would give it to her as a present. Other than that, there was this concert on the beach she really wanted to see.

He ends up telling Tabitha about the box his grandfather left. Together they figure out a few plans to really make his mother’s day. Tomorrow though, it’s his job to get the car in the shop and running again. Then maybe he will check out where his grandfather lived for a clue about Sarah.

The next day after dropping off the car, Simon does in fact find himself at the retirement home where his grandfather spent his final days. He feels a bit odd, but also like he is in the right place. Stepping in and consulting the front desk, he finds that there is a Sarah there and usually spends her time playing games in the TV room. Following her directions, he quickly scans the TV room and sees the only people are grouped around a couple of people playing Gin Rummy. Which for some reason, looks a bit intense. Shrugging, he joins hoping to figure out if any are Sarah, but doesn’t have to wait long as the older man deals out the final blow and ends the game.

“Dang it, Al! Alright, alright snacks on me. Let’s make a list.” Simon notices that the speaker is actually a young woman. She stands and grabs a pen and paper next to her before stating, “OK, who’s first?”

As she starts to take orders, Simon hears a few people thanking her and calling it a good game until finally one of them says her name:Sarah. Well now this is just awkward. He could leave; no one paid him any attention. Right when he decides that though, she speaks directly to him.

“Hey there, I’m Sarah. Are you a new volunteer or visiting someone? I just got beat bad at some Gin Rummy and now have to buy the room snacks, want anything?” She smiles at him.

“Uh…” He definitely needed to actually say something. She now is looking at him oddly.

“Um, I mean you don’t have to. I thought I should offer…” Oh no, now he is either rude or weird. Respond!

“No, it’s not that. My estranged grandfather left me some mysterious tasks that included taking a lady named Sarah on a date; but I didn’t think that would be you.” That was not the thing to say. What is happening? He went to school for communication and yet he is flailing words around right now. She is definitely looking at him very oddly now.

“So, you think I am not a lady or is just the weirdest negging I have ever experienced?”

“No! I just thought you would be older and like he wanted me to take his crush out since he couldn’t, you know?”

“Wait, are you talking about Seymour? He always joked he would take me out one day.” Relief floods Simon and lets her know that is in fact his late grandfather.

“Wow. I am kind of amazed, both by him and you. So what did you have in mind?” He looks at her startled. She adds, “So you didn’t have a date planned already?”

“Well I was thinking just dinner or something nice. I didn’t even know a Sarah until this afternoon or what she might like.”

“Hmm. Good point. In that case, did he leave you anything else to do? Maybe we could do that.”

“Actually yeah… skydiving?”

She looks at him, squinting her eyes. Reasoning, he’s sure as to why she would jump out of a plane with an actual stranger she just met; but then she says, “Okay. I actually have been wanting to do that. How serendipitous! What’s your number?”

Unsure of how this is happening exactly, they exchange numbers and make a plan to figure out how to actually go skydiving. Then he helps her out with the snacks almost forgotten, before getting a call. Leaving her to distribute to everyone, he takes it out in the hallway. Tabitha is just calling him to let him know that she was able to not only get them part of the beach reserved, but found a cover band who is actually available! She is on her way into town too. His mom is about to get the birthday she always wanted and her dad was able to do that for her finally. Simon hangs up and laughs out loud. Just yesterday, he had no idea what his future would hold and had no hope. Now things seem to just be coming together. Maybe all he needs is to enjoy the unexpected and be sure he doesn’t need to leave his own list behind.