“I don’t want to be nice. Not to HER, Grandpa!”
“Why not, Carson?”
“She’s mean.”
“She is, eh? How come?”
“She laughed at me in class. Said I was stupid.”
“I’m sorry, little buddy. You’re certainly not stupid.”
“She’s stupid! And she smells like...“
“Why not, Carson?”
“She’s mean.”
“She is, eh? How come?”
“She laughed at me in class. Said I was stupid.”
“I’m sorry, little buddy. You’re certainly not stupid.”
“She’s stupid! And she smells like...“
“..she smells like cabbage!”
“Cabbage, eh? Huh. But you shouldn’t call her stupid. You don’t want to be mean.”
“I don’t care. She hurt me.”
“I know, son. And that’s wrong. But you’ve got to be kind.”
“But I don’t want to be kind. It doesn’t feel good. I don’t like it!”
“Cabbage, eh? Huh. But you shouldn’t call her stupid. You don’t want to be mean.”
“I don’t care. She hurt me.”
“I know, son. And that’s wrong. But you’ve got to be kind.”
“But I don’t want to be kind. It doesn’t feel good. I don’t like it!”
“Yeah, I feel that way too sometimes.”
“Why is it hard to be nice, Grandpa?”
“Hard to be...Well, I’ve never thought...” He fiddled with the stone bowl in his lap. “Uh. I guess it’s so hard...because it’s work our heart has to do,” Grandpa Joe replied with a dawning reluctance.
“Why is it hard to be nice, Grandpa?”
“Hard to be...Well, I’ve never thought...” He fiddled with the stone bowl in his lap. “Uh. I guess it’s so hard...because it’s work our heart has to do,” Grandpa Joe replied with a dawning reluctance.
“Well I don’t want to be. She doesn’t deserve it! I’ll just be mean right back. See how she likes it.”
“You will, eh?”
“Yep.”
“Well I guess that’s your choice, but...”
“But what, Grandpa?” Carson asked. “What?!”
“You will, eh?”
“Yep.”
“Well I guess that’s your choice, but...”
“But what, Grandpa?” Carson asked. “What?!”
”Well, grandson. I think if we aren’t kind, even when it’s really tough to do, well...our hearts start to get cold. And,” he continued, rubbing his own chest and shoulder,
“And I guess that’s just when they start to get hard. You want a strong heart, don’t ya boy?”
“Wul yeah...”
“And I guess that’s just when they start to get hard. You want a strong heart, don’t ya boy?”
“Wul yeah...”
“You’re a good kid, Cars. You’ll figure it out. I’m sure you’ll work to have the strongest heart around!” He smiled warmly.
The boy turned his head and thought for a long moment. “Grandpa?” now peering deep into his eyes.
“Yeah?”
“Were you always so kind like you are to me?”
The boy turned his head and thought for a long moment. “Grandpa?” now peering deep into his eyes.
“Yeah?”
“Were you always so kind like you are to me?”
Joe’s chest tightened a bit and his breath caught. He fumbled a short spell with his spoon.
“Grandson, I guess if I’m honest. No. Not always...And I suppose...I suppose that’s where my heart just might have a few darker scars.”
“Grandson, I guess if I’m honest. No. Not always...And I suppose...I suppose that’s where my heart just might have a few darker scars.”
“I’m sorry, Grandpa. Well. I still love you! And you’re sure not mean to anyone now. You’re the kindest man I know! Really.”
“Thanks fella. I suppose I’ve still got work to do. Now, you give me a hug before you rush off to hockey. And don’t forget your jersey in the dryer.”
“Thanks fella. I suppose I’ve still got work to do. Now, you give me a hug before you rush off to hockey. And don’t forget your jersey in the dryer.”
“Sure Grand...Shoot! I didn’t mean to knock y—“ as the bowl sloshed its remnants over Grandpa Joe’s knee.
“It’s ok. It’s cold already. No worries. It’ll wash off.”
“What was it?”
“Oh. Just a little of Grandma’s cabbage soup. There’s more warming on the stove.” // END
“It’s ok. It’s cold already. No worries. It’ll wash off.”
“What was it?”
“Oh. Just a little of Grandma’s cabbage soup. There’s more warming on the stove.” // END
