GRANDPA'S STORY


In our fictional story presented here, we have a grandfather; Let us call him Bill. Grandpa Bill represents a typical grandfather. He could be your grandfather, or he could be mine. He is 72 years old; 5 feet 11 inches tall; with a lean build and distinguished gray hair. Grandpa is retired from his job as a teacher. However, his small pension requires him to depend upon his son, Bob and granddaughter, Karen for financial help in paying some of his medical expenses. You see, Grandpa Bill has serious debilitating health problems which necessitate him to purchase expensive medicines on a monthly bases. More recently, Grandpa was diagnosed with senility. Although not in the most advanced stage, Grandpa has begun to forget significant experiences he's had during his life and people he has known for years.

One Sunday afternoon, after a particularly grueling day cooking and cleaning at Grandpa Bill's home, Karen shows up at her uncle Bob's house extremely angry and haggard looking. Karen says to Bob in an elevated voice, almost shouting:" I can't handle this any more, it's just taking too much of our time to take care of Grandpa Bill, and with his health conditions, he's just not able to live in that house all by himself any more." Bob looking at the basket ball game on television does not even look up at Karen. Through a mouth full of cheese puffs he mutters: "So, what do you suggest we do?" "Well," says Karen " I don't know what we should do. All I know is that it would be so much easier for everyone concerned if he just quickly expired." "You mean died?" Bob asks, looking up at his niece searching her face to see if she was serious. Although a few years older than Karen, Bob respected his niece as a peer. "Karen, you're not serious are you?" Karen, plops down on the couch next to Bob. "Bob, look at this old coat I'm wearing. I have not been able to buy anything new since Christmas." "It seems like we spend more and more time, and money taking care of Grandpa and not taking care of ourselves. The shame of it, is that he is not alive enough to enjoy what we are doing for him." Karen had struck a sensitive nerve with Bob. He himself had not had the money to go to any basketball games all season and was forced to settle for watching them on television." Just then he pretended to be distracted by a three point shot: "Wow! Did you see that Karen? My team is hot today." Bob then feigned being sorry for being distracted from the discussion:" Oh, I'm sorry Karen. Well, let me think on this matter and I'll call you tomorrow so we can put our heads together." Karen then slowly gets up and heads for the door. Just before opening the door and walking out, she tells Bob over her shoulder: "You can kiss that Hawaii trip goodbye, Grandpa needs surgery and the insurance will only cover fifty percent of the ten grand that the hospital wants to charge."

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