Jack used the tip of his cane to push the elevator button in their assisted living facility while holding onto Ted’s walker. “See, my hand/eye coordination is still great. I did it on the first try.”
“Hey, you don’t have to tell me that. I see your coordination every day as you hold hands with one lady and wink at another.” Ted rattled his walker. “You shouldn’t have signed me up for this fiasco without my permission. I wanted to watch my favorite TV programs today.”
“Quit grumbling. You should mingle more with our neighbors. The women outnumber the men more than twenty to one here.” Jack smiled. “It’s almost like living in a harem.”
“What happened to Mary, your latest love? I’ve seen you with a different woman almost every evening after dinner.”
“We broke up because she wanted a long-term commitment. I like playing the field.”
“I can see why you don’t want to be tied down at ninety-three, but if you keep playing the field like this, you’ll end up planted in it.”
“Ted, I see life as a glass half full; you see it as half empty. I’m enjoying what time I have left.”
“I was enjoying television until you dragged me to this Adopt-A-Grandparent Day. You owe me big time for this.”
Jack and Ted were escorted to big comfortable chairs in separate sections of the library, as were other volunteer residents. They were each handed a book of fairy tales and told to choose one to read to the children.
Ted scowled as the kindergarten teacher brought two boys and two girls forward. “Children, this is Grandpa Ted. He’s going to read a fairytale to you. Say hello and tell him your name.”
A dark-haired boy with glasses stepped forward and held out his hand. “Hello, I’m Tommy. Are you a professional reader?”
“No, I’m a professional TV watcher.” Ted shook his hand and looked into Tommy’s inquisitive, bright-blue eyes. Just my luck to get stuck with little Albert Einstein.
Tommy sat on the floor and stared at him.
A little girl with red hair and freckles shook his hand. “Hello, I’m Becky. Can you take your teeth out like my grandpa does?”
“No, I still have my real teeth.” Ted shook her hand.
Becky tilted her head and focused on Ted’s face. “Wouldn’t you like some new ones?”
“No, I like the ones I have. Sit down, please.”
A little blond boy with big brown eyes stepped forward. “Hello, I’m Jimmy. I like to ride my bicycle. Do you like to ride your walker?”
“I don’t ride my walker. I push it.”
“Could I ride on it while you push it?”
“Not today. You’re here to listen to a story.”
“Bummer,” Jimmy said as he sat next to Tommy.
“Hello, I’m Emily,” a little girl with green eyes and long blond curls said. “I want to sit on your lap while you read the story.”
Ted scowled. “I don’t think so. Please sit on the floor with your little friends.”
“My grandpa let me sit on his lap when he read stories to me before he went to Heaven. Why won’t you let me sit on your lap? Don’t you like me?” She began to cry.
Just when things couldn’t get worse. “Please don’t cry. I like you. You can sit on my lap and turn the pages for me.” He helped her up. “Everybody listen now while I read the story. Once upon a time—”
“What time?” Tommy said.
Ted frowned. “What do you mean, what time?”
“You know—what time? Was it eight o’clock in the morning?”
“It was long, long ago when they didn’t have clocks.” Ted sighed. “They had daytime and nighttime. It was daytime. So, once upon a daytime, a handsome prince was riding his horse through a forest when—”
“What color horse was it?” Tommy asked.
“The story doesn’t say.” Ted raised his eyebrows.
“Make it a white horse,” Becky said. “My Barbie doll has a white horse.”
“Barbie’s lucky. Once upon a daytime, a handsome prince was riding his white horse through a forest—”
“What was the prince’s name?” Tommy asked.
“The story doesn’t say that either.” Ted removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes.
“I want you to name him Prince Ken. Ken is Barbie’s boyfriend,” Becky said.
“Any other suggestions before I continue?”
“Why?” Emily asked.
“If I keep getting interrupted, I’ll never be able to finish the story.”
“You sound cranky. Did you have your nap today?”
“No.” Only God knows how much I’d like one right now.
“Why?”
“I don’t take naps.”
“If you did, you wouldn’t be cranky.”
“OK, I’ll take naps from now on. Once upon a daytime, handsome Prince Ken was riding his white horse through a forest.” Ted looked at their bright little faces and waited.
“When can I turn the page?” Emily asked.
“At this rate, maybe never. I’ve only read one sentence. May I continue?”
They solemnly nodded.
“There were a lot of wild animals in the forest, but Prince Ken was brave and carried a sword to protect him and his horse.”
“What’s the horse’s name?” Jimmy asked.
“What would you like it to be?”
“Blackie.”
“You want to name a white horse Blackie?”
Jimmy nodded.
Ted shook his head. “Whatever. Once upon a daytime, handsome Prince Ken was riding his white horse, named Blackie, through a forest. There were a lot of wild animals in the forest, but the prince was brave and carried a sword to protect him and his horse. The prince heard a voice cry out, ‘Save me! Please save me!’ Prince Ken raced Blackie toward the voice and found a beautiful princess tied to a tree.
“The princess shouted, ‘Please untie me before the wicked witch comes back!’ Prince Ken untied her and helped her up onto his horse.”
“What was the name of the princess?” Emily asked.
“What do you want her name to be?”
“Emily, like mine.”
“Good choice. Prince Ken held onto Princess Emily as they rode back to his castle on Blackie, his white horse. They fell in love, married, and lived happily ever after. The end.” Thank God!
The children waved to Ted as their teacher led them out of the library. He overheard her ask, “Did you like Grandpa Ted reading to you?”
“I think he needs more practice,” Jimmy said.
“I like the names he gave everything,” Becky said.
“He’s probably better at watching TV,” Tommy said.
Emily crossed her arms and said, “I think Grandpa Ted needed a nap.”