After making Grandpa Joe stay home and rest all weekend, he became a little antsy and wanted to go out and get a Christmas tree. Which was fine, except for the fact that we don�t have a car.
�Grandpa, how are we supposed to get a tree home?� I asked him incredulously.
�Lainey, you worry too much. Once we get out there, we�ll figure something out, I promise. We�ll call a cab or somethin�.�
So, fine. We walked to a tree lot downtown which is about 5 blocks away. Instantly I saw a nice medium-sized one and called out to Grandpa to come look at it.
�No, Lainey,� was his reply, �I found it! The most beautiful tree on this Earth!� I circled around the lot until I found him standing beside a monstrous, 9-foot tree-giant.
I laughed. �Grandpa, you have to be kidding me. There is no way we can haul that thing home.�
�Yes we can, and we will,� is all he said. And then he loyally stood by his tree for 15 minutes, smugly smoking his pipe until I finally consented.
�Okay, Grandpa. If that�s the tree you want, fine, I�ll call a cab.�
�No,� he replied, �we won�t be able to get this thing in a cab.� And then he scanned the lot until he found what he was looking for.
�HEY! Hey young man! C�mere!� He was yelling to a boy about my age who was smoking a cigarette and talking on his cell-phone.
The boy looked up and motioned to himself with a questioning look on his face.
�Yeah you, come here!�
The boy grudgingly hung up his phone and walked over to where we were standing. Grandpa proceeded to ask him to help us walk the tree home, but I couldn�t help but realize that the boy was staring at me.
Finally I got the courage to speak. �Um, you don�t have to um, help us. We can probably do it oursel-.� He cut me off. �You�re Elaine Wells, right?�
I instantly looked up. �Err..yes?� I charmingly replied.
He smiled (gorgeously). �I was in your 4th grade class. Remember, Chris Herrington, the chubby guy that you always stuck up for? I had such a crush on you back then. Sure, I�d love to help you with the tree.�
So, Grandpa went and paid for the tree and Chris and I caught up.
�Are you going to college?� he asked me.
�Yes, I go to _________. You?�
�Oh, I go to __________. It�s only about 20 minutes from your school.�
�Right. I have a friend that goes there.�
Grandpa came back and we started on the 5-block walk back to Grandpa�s house. The tree had to have weighed about 1,000,000 lbs., and it was hard being polite and cute in front of my new friend, especially since I was sweating and cursing every 10 seconds.
(I�m starting another entry for this. This one is long enough. When did I become so long-winded?)