A GRANDPA'S ODYSSEY

A GRANDPA'S ODYSSEY (concluding part)

"So did you get to become friends with her afterwards?".

Grandpa replied,"Yes i did,although it did take some more embarrassment and teasing on her part.It even got to the point where she would call me Mr BP,meaning Mr Bird Poop."

Robin burst out in laughter.

Grandpa continued,"After this,we became really good friends.We sat together,did our homework together,ate our lunch together and what not."

Robin said with a smirk in his face,"At this rate,you would get attached to her in no time."

Grandpa replied,"Exactly,i did get attached to her pretty soon,and i felt that she was too.As time passed by,i would get jealous every time she hung out with someone else.This went on for sometime until i finally realised that i liked her."

Smiling,Robin asked,"So that means you confessed to her soon enough.How did that happen?"

Hearing that Grandpa started laughing again and Robin was confused.

Grandpa:"So i was thinking of ways to ask her out.One of her friends told me that she was very fond of riding the ferris wheel.So i thought that the best way to confess to her would be to take her to the Spring-fair,set up near the school and ask her out while riding the Ferris Wheel together.Although i never ever rode the Ferris Wheel by myself and was always scared of it,i decided to go ahead with my plan.

So on a fateful evening,i took her to the spring fair,loitered across the stalls,had cotton candies,witnessed the cultural show happening,and finally i bought two tickets for the Ferris Wheel.We got on the two-people cabin of the wheel,the doors closed and the ride started.I waited for the wheel to reach the zenith,before confessing everything.

But as the wheel was moving upwards,i felt my stomach rumble,and within a blink of an eye i was completely nauseous.I tried my best to stop the inevitable but to no avail.Due to the built up stress in my mind in fear of embarrassment,i fainted there.

The next thing i remember is lying down on the green grass of the park field,Ruby next to me,holding my hand and fanning me with a small hand-fan.I at once got up to explain and apologise,but she stopped me and said,"Shut up! Don't you dare say a word now.How could you ride the Ferris Wheel if your body can't tolerate it? You know how worried i was? Tell me,why would you do something so silly?"

Hearing this,my mouth automatically murmured,"I did this because i wanted to ask you out on top of the Ferris Wheel. I knew that you enjoyed being on the Ferris Wheel a lot,so i planned all of this."

She paused for some time,and then with my face in her hands,continued,"Even if u had said this to me directly without planning all that,i would have still said yes."

Hearing that,I was too happy to be sane and continued to exclaim in joy,"I Did It!"Embarrassed by this,she too was laughing gently and telling me to stop.

Robin:"So that night was one of the most memorable nights in your life."

Grandpa:"Undoubtedly!"

Robin :" Then why did you not stay in touch and marry her in the future?"

Smiling but sad at the same time,Grandpa replied,"I should have realised it sooner,especially after God sent so many signs that this was not going to work out.Nevertheless, we ignored the signs and promised to be with each other forever,like everyone else at our time did.

Time passed by very fast and within a year,my dad was transferred to another place and i had to shift schools.Even though we promised to stay in touch,after only about six or seven telephone calls,we drifted apart."

At this point,Robin himself felt very sad and said,"I can feel that you must have regretted meeting her so much!"

Grandpa:"Definitely not. If i had regretted meeting her ever,i would have never felt the happiness , whenever i had heard her name and looked out for her. I would have never felt the sadness, when i heard that she was married.I would have never felt those butterflies in the stomach moment in my young days,if not for her.Even if God would give me a chance to go back in time,i would still willingly fall for her again and make those memories together.

She taught me a very useful lesson in my life,that, 'We should always enjoy the journey instead of wasting time thinking about the destination'."

(Concluded)
(Thank you very much for enjoying my story. Do vote, share and don't forget to comment about your thoughts on completing this beautiful journey with our lovely grandpa...)