Thanks, Grandpa.

What's the point.

Dawn Broke when I awoke. It seemed early so I just lay in my bed still and silent. As I tuned in my ears I could just about hear the birds parched on the tree outside my window chirping softly. It was a pleasant sound not like an annoying cockerel, placid and sweet. It was like a lullaby because soon enough I had drifted back to sleep, unaware that I had done so.

I could hear the hallway floorboards groaning and a whinge approaching from afar, ‘Grandpa must be coming to wake me up’ I thought. But it wasn’t until he staggered into my room that I realized that he was injured. He had his hand resting on his back was leaning over like a hunchback, his face was screwed up and he looked like he was in agony. I bounded out of bed, to the rescue. “Grandpa, what’s the matter? Are you okay?” I asked in a worrying tone. “Does it look like I’m alright? No, well then, hurry up and get your Grandma Kid. I cannot be doing with this; I have to get to bowls club, David will be wondering were I am!” I looked at him, he certainly won’t be going anywhere at the moment and if he does it’s to the sickbay. “Go, already!” he yelled.

I ran into Grandmas bedroom and up to her bed. I could hear her breathing softly beneath her snuffling and she seemed so blissful asleep. I stood there watching her for a few minutes failing to recall Grandpa and everything else but then it struck me like a lightening bolt. Running up to Grandma I half-heartedly prodded her, waking her up. She tumbled over to face me and answered with her eyes half open: “Waatt. Henry you haven’t wet the bed now have you? I told you to take your pills!” I looked at her puzzled.                   

“Grandma, its Eugene” I calmed her.

“OH, sorry lovey, what’s the matter?” she said whilst sitting herself up.

“It’s Grandpa, I think he’s hurt his spine.”

“Tehe, oh, dear, he won’t be going to bowls then will he.”

“I’m serious Grandma!”

“Oh, good heavens, well don’t just stand there attend to him. And I’ll call a doctor.” She instructed.

“Butttt-”

“No buts. We must.” She interrupted. I didn’t reason, even if she didn’t let me finish, Grandpa came first; he was family. I went back to greet Grandpa, I helped him over to my bed and then sat him down alongside me. I rubbed my hand on his back to try and make it feel better but all he did was wail because it hurt. “Its okay, Grandpa,” I said, “Everything will be okay. I promise you.” It visibly wasn’t all right but I had to attempt a bit to make him feel better. I couldn’t exactly tell him ‘Well, you could die…” could I. No, he’s have a anxiety spasm!

He’d most probably displaced his disks or something, I’m not sure, I don’t generally listen in biology much and I’m no doctor so I wouldn’t know.

But I could hear Grandma dialling the numbers on the telephone downstairs which had to be a good sign. 9_beep 9_beep 9_beep, dundundun and then I suppose there was ringing on the other end because I heard Grandma talking so she must have got through, but it was to muffled to overhear.  

Within about ten minutes the ambulance had arrived but Grandpa wouldn’t go with them he said: “Look. I’m all better now, thanks doctors” trying to persuade them not to take him. He must have had something against consultants since he didn’t want to have anything to do with them. “We must take you the hospital anyway. Now come with me, we wouldn’t want you in pain now would we, I promise we will make it better” The lady told him. And so he got in the ambulance and was driven away. She promised she’d make him better; like I had said, everything will be okay, thank god.

“Right, hurry up Eugene. I am taking you to school. Your already late, lets not make you any later” Grandma demanded. I ran up stairs and changed into my school clothes, grabbed my rucksack, swinging it on my back and I shoved my feet into my trainers. Grandma powered up the engine in her ‘wagon’ and we were off… unfortunately. We arrived outside the corroded gates of the school where Grandma dropped me off.