Last weekend my eldest grandson turned 11. For the past two birthdays I had given him money PLUS an IOU for a day out shopping with grandma. Last year as we were on the highway bombing into town he - nonchalantly - announced that he hated shopping!!! OOOOPS....
About a month before this year's birthday my daughter told me that eldest grandson had mentioned he was really hoping grandma would give him money and another day out together. WTF???
So last weekend when he opened my birthday present (a wallet with his birthday money tucked inside) he asked if we could go out this Sunday. How could I say no??? For me these birthday shopping days are very special - just us - no brothers or parents or miscellaneous family to colour our visit.
I picked him up around 11:30 and we headed off for our day. He picked a "grown up" restaurant - no McDonald's or Burger King. This restaurant has brown paper over the table cloth and crayons on every table. We had a blast drawing on each other's side of the table ... laughing and chatting.... and I realized he is growing into quite an interesting young man. We talked about school and his stubbornness about doing school work.. We chatted about his video games ( I need a translator for that one) .. and in a round about way - an 11 year old way - he told me how much he loves his extended family and loves visiting with us. (you'd never know it when you're there visiting - hardly see him - but still it makes an impression obviously)
After a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday" sung by the wait staff we headed off to find some new video games. Boy has he grown up...... we hit 3 different stores pricing games and accessories. It gave me a good opportunity to teach him (and the sales people) how to pay for something and count your change - file your receipt etc.
The last store we were in - I got a little testy with the salesperson who refused to acknowledge eldest grandson - asking me if it was cash or charge... even though grandson was standing at the cash with the game and a gift card. I pointed out to the salesperson that *I* was not the customer...... after two false starts I finally pointed to my grandson and said "he's your customer!! Kindly address HIM!!" You'd think in this day and age salespeople would be a little more savvy about serving younger customers.
Home we went - eldest grandson very happy - he had 2 new games AND still had money left over!!! Once home I got a quick hug and a kiss and a mumbled thank you and he disappeared into the bowels of the house to play his new games. But I had a huge smile on my mug and a warm feeling in my heart... we'd had an excellent day together .... and it was as much a present for me as for it was for him.
A beautiful heartwarming blog...thanks for sharing this day with us readers. What wonderful memories he will have as an adult.
ReplyDeleteI have grandsons who are now young teens... we still visit and talk but nothing like it was when they were younger. So keep enjoying him.
Joyce
You're lucky, Morningstar, for many reasons I haven't seen my grandchildren in five years and I was specially fond of one of them.
ReplyDelete"he's your customer!! Kindly address HIM!!"
This reminds me of an anecdote: my husband is of Vietnamese origin, 20 years older than me, and since I'm in my sixties, well...you see. So one day we went together to see a specialist and the man kept asking me questions: how was my husband feeling, did he take his medocs properly, and he didn't even look at my husband.
I was so incensed I finally told him he could ask him directly, he was not senile and spoke French as well as me. The doctor flushed.
I had never been so flippant in my whole life but that day I couldn't help it.