Despite the massive age gap, Paul and his grandmother got along like a house on fire. Paul didn’t feel obliged to spend time with the elderly woman; he enjoyed catching up with her. They shared the same interests: baking, sewing, and crossword puzzles. Paul’s grandmother and her friends loved having Paul around; he would play checkers with Mrs. Gordon, drink tea with Mrs. Thompson, and sing songs with Mrs. Watson. Until last Wednesday Paul and his grandmother were inseparable, but in an instant, all respect was lost; the familiar friends were no longer on talking terms. I know what you’re thinking: Paul began taking drugs, got a tattoo, or joined a rock band. This assumption couldn’t be further from the truth; it was Paul who had lost respect for the elder. He’d gone to the supermarket to help with the weekly shop and had caught his grandmother stealing items from Mrs. Thompson’s trolley. Paul was absolutely horrified. “What are you doing?” he asked.
“Don’t say anything dear,” his grandmother smiled. “May thinks she’s losing her mind.”
“That’s a horrible thing to do,” replied Paul; “you can’t just take items from other people’s trolleys.”
“Why not?” the woman asked, reaching for Mrs. Thompson’s potatoes. “They don’t own them yet. I do it all the time; you should see the look on young people’s faces when they catch me – they think I’m crazy.”
“I think they’re right.” Paul shook his head. He bid farewell to Mrs. Thompson and walked out of the store.
Paul’s grandmother was beside herself; the poor old lady didn’t know what to do. She reached for the grocer’s hose and sprayed mist in the direction of a small child.
“Don’t say anything dear,” his grandmother smiled. “May thinks she’s losing her mind.”
“That’s a horrible thing to do,” replied Paul; “you can’t just take items from other people’s trolleys.”
“Why not?” the woman asked, reaching for Mrs. Thompson’s potatoes. “They don’t own them yet. I do it all the time; you should see the look on young people’s faces when they catch me – they think I’m crazy.”
“I think they’re right.” Paul shook his head. He bid farewell to Mrs. Thompson and walked out of the store.
Paul’s grandmother was beside herself; the poor old lady didn’t know what to do. She reached for the grocer’s hose and sprayed mist in the direction of a small child.