Bedtime Stories

Alice knew it was rude to eavesdrop. But this was another night (perhaps, the last) she would not miss in her life. She just had to hear the conversation going on inside the room. She carefully leaned her ears on the door.

She felt the cool wood that gently vibrated with the hum of the air conditioning unit. But the words, however, were loud and crystal clear!

“That was a wonderful bedtime story! Tell me another one,” someone’s voice begged.

“I just made it all up…you really want to hear another one?” a gentler voice replied.

“Of course, of course… Your stories are so cool!”

“Okay, here goes! Once upon a time, there was a little puppy who wanted to fly like a bird…,”

“Oooh, that’s reeally coool! Let me guess…he’s going to sprout wings?”

“Nope, guess again,” the softer voice was clearly filled with excitement.

“Then how did the little puppy manage to fly?”

“Because he had a kind eagle friend who told him what could be seen from high above.”

“Wow! I could have never guessed that one!”

Alice could not contain her tears as the conversation ensued.

“You still remember the joke we learned from the movie Mary Poppins?” one voice boomed.

“Yes!”

“Well, then, why don’t you repeat it. If we both laugh, then maybe we would float like in the movie.”

“There was a man with a wooden leg named Smith… It was so awful that without his leg he could no longer walk as he did before.”

“Goodie! Here comes the funny part!”

“…one of the guys in a bar asked, ‘Oh, by the way, what was the name of his other leg?’”

[BOISTEROUS LAUGHTER!]

“Grandpa?” a child’s voice asked.

“Yes, Glenn, what is it?”

“I thought about the man’s wooden leg, and I wondered if they cut off your leg will they put a wooden one instead?”

“Whatever it takes my child, just so I can walk normally,” his grandfather replied. The elder man observed the boy’s eyes that began to gather tears. “Oh, I’m sorry Glenn. I didn’t mean too… Hey, if ever they cut it off, I will make sure that you’ll be the first one to choose a name for my wooden leg!”

[LAUGHTER AGAIN!]

“But why do they have to cut off your leg, grandpa?”

“Long story child, but maybe it’s like your story about the puppy who wanted to fly….”

“How?” Glenn asked.

“You can imagine that my sickness can take me any time soon,” he tried to swallow the lump in his throat.

“But mommy sez the chemicals are helping you?”

“Yup, but just to ease a bit the pain. The cancer isn’t going and my kidneys aren’t working like they used to,” his eyes started to swell with tears. “Hey it’s bedtime already.”

Glenn sobbed a little, wiped his nose with his wrist and said, “I know, grandpa….”

“Thanks, little buddy. I’ll make sure to take your stories to Heaven with me soon.”

“What will you do with them grandpa?”

“Oh, I won’t forget your great stories and when I get to Heaven, I’ll look for the Baby Jesus and tell them all to him.”

“Really?”

“Yes, promise!” he embraced his grandson. “Now off to bed kiddo! Thanks for the prayer stories.”

Alice managed to quickly move away from the door as Glenn came out. “How’s grandpa, honey?” she asked.

“He’s fine mommy,” Glenn said as he embraced his mom. “He said he will tell Jesus my stories.”

“Really? That’s so kind of him,” her voice started to break up.

“Did you like my story about the puppy, mommy?”

Alice smiled, “Of course, honey. You’re such a great story teller. “You made that one up really quick. Where did you snitch that from?”

“Nuthin’ really. Maybe I just thought grandpa was the eagle and I was the puppy,” Glenn started to cry.

“Of course he is, Glenn. Wouldn’t it be wonderful that he’d be praying for all of us in heaven, and telling Jesus bedtime stories about us?”

“Mom?”

“Yes, honey?”

“What name can I give his wooden leg?”

[LAUGHTER and TEARS!]