Answering the phone, a familiar voice echoed in my ear.
“Hi, it's me. Just thought I'd call and talk a while. I haven't seen you for a month. So, how are you?
“I'm good,” I said, “I'm really good. How about you?”
“I'm really good, too,” she said. “You know we really ought to talk more. We don't get to see each other enough so we ought to call more often.”
“You're right,” I said, “I couldn't agree more. Let's plan on it.”
“We will. So how are things going. Have you done anything fun lately?”
“Not too exciting. I've been hiking in the forest at least once a week. That's good exercise. Since we got back from Alaska I decided I needed to keep in shape. That hike up the glacier almost killed me.”
“That really was fun,” she affirmed. “I keep telling all my friends about it. They can't believe all the stuff we did. I took that picture of us going through those rapids up at Denali to school. They couldn't believe we did all that.”
“Well, we did it, but you and your sister just about wore me out.”
“I don't think so. You're in pretty good shape for a grandfather. You should be proud of being able to do all the stuff you do.”
“Well, I am,” I said. “I guess I'm a little proud of being able to tag along with you guys.”
“You know what's the best thing that's come out of all these adventures you've taken us on?”
“What's that?”
“The best thing that's happened is the confidence you've given us. Do you remember that my little sister was afraid of heights before we started climbing that mountain. I've got that picture of her standing on the edge of that rock overhang. It's hard to believe that's her. And you gave me the same confidence. I really owe you for that. You know, I've started doing a lot more things. I mean, I've started taking chances I'd never have done before. And I owe it all to you. You changed my life. You helped me get where I can take chances and, you know, do things I'd never have thought about doing before. I don't think I've every told you how much that means to me.”
“Well, it means a lot that you'd say that. I'm glad you're taking risks.”
“I am, and guess what?”
“What?”
“I've decided to enter the My High School Queen contest. I would never have done that before without you building my confidence.”
“Well, I'm glad to hear that. And win or lose you're my Princess.”
“I know. And, well, I need to ask you something important about the contest.””
“What's that?”
“I need sponsors. I need people to donate some money to sponsor me. It can be ten or twenty dollars or whatever, and they'll put your name in the program. Can you help? I mean, I wouldn't be in this contest if it weren't for you.”
We talked a little more. I agreed. She hung up. Life is funny. My granddaughter is growing up. She's a young woman now, fifteen and going on twenty. It's interesting. A few years back she'd have just called and said, “Would you mind giving me twenty dollars?”
“Hi, it's me. Just thought I'd call and talk a while. I haven't seen you for a month. So, how are you?
“I'm good,” I said, “I'm really good. How about you?”
“I'm really good, too,” she said. “You know we really ought to talk more. We don't get to see each other enough so we ought to call more often.”
“You're right,” I said, “I couldn't agree more. Let's plan on it.”
“We will. So how are things going. Have you done anything fun lately?”
“Not too exciting. I've been hiking in the forest at least once a week. That's good exercise. Since we got back from Alaska I decided I needed to keep in shape. That hike up the glacier almost killed me.”
“That really was fun,” she affirmed. “I keep telling all my friends about it. They can't believe all the stuff we did. I took that picture of us going through those rapids up at Denali to school. They couldn't believe we did all that.”
“Well, we did it, but you and your sister just about wore me out.”
“I don't think so. You're in pretty good shape for a grandfather. You should be proud of being able to do all the stuff you do.”
“Well, I am,” I said. “I guess I'm a little proud of being able to tag along with you guys.”
“You know what's the best thing that's come out of all these adventures you've taken us on?”
“What's that?”
“The best thing that's happened is the confidence you've given us. Do you remember that my little sister was afraid of heights before we started climbing that mountain. I've got that picture of her standing on the edge of that rock overhang. It's hard to believe that's her. And you gave me the same confidence. I really owe you for that. You know, I've started doing a lot more things. I mean, I've started taking chances I'd never have done before. And I owe it all to you. You changed my life. You helped me get where I can take chances and, you know, do things I'd never have thought about doing before. I don't think I've every told you how much that means to me.”
“Well, it means a lot that you'd say that. I'm glad you're taking risks.”
“I am, and guess what?”
“What?”
“I've decided to enter the My High School Queen contest. I would never have done that before without you building my confidence.”
“Well, I'm glad to hear that. And win or lose you're my Princess.”
“I know. And, well, I need to ask you something important about the contest.””
“What's that?”
“I need sponsors. I need people to donate some money to sponsor me. It can be ten or twenty dollars or whatever, and they'll put your name in the program. Can you help? I mean, I wouldn't be in this contest if it weren't for you.”
We talked a little more. I agreed. She hung up. Life is funny. My granddaughter is growing up. She's a young woman now, fifteen and going on twenty. It's interesting. A few years back she'd have just called and said, “Would you mind giving me twenty dollars?”
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