Babysitting Granddad

• Jayanna Gibson, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2012

Babysitting Granddad; today is the day, and you did read it right... I have to babysit my Grandfather! We are going to spend the day at Dream World. I am really looking forward to it. I said to him that we should take the bus as he doesn’t drive (way, way too old to have a licence), but he said that we should walk for some exercise; naturally it took twice as long. We were going so slow at times that even the ants were passing us! Granddad is as slow as he is old, especially with his walking stick. I have to pinch myself to check that I am not sleep walking. All good... I’m awake.

Eventually we get there and you wouldn’t believe what happened, Granddad didn’t have any cash so we had to use the A.T.M. This would seem to be a simple task to most, but they are not Granddad. Oh did I mention that he is very controlling and won’t let me help him, his mind is also slipping away, so after a few attempts at the password, and a growing line of impatient onlookers waiting to use the machine also, we have cash to buy entry passes. I am not quite sure if it was just my level of embarrassment that made it seem like it took forever or it actually did.

Finally we are lined up for the biggest roller coaster we could find; Granddad may be old, but he is a real daredevil! Being the afternoon the lines don’t take long at all. Getting on the ride I notice an old man behind us without any teeth, he is trying to talk to us, I think that he is saying that he left his teeth at home, but I could not be sure as he was extremely difficult to understand.

We all let out a large scream on the last but steepest slope which is part of the excitement of these rides, but my attention is drawn to my Granddad as the sound of his scream changed. Turning to him I notice that his teeth are gone. And then with a jolt the ride comes to a stop. Before the harness is released we hear the man behind cheering. It is clear, really clear, not like the mumbled speech that he was making before.
With the release of the harness the old man was off with Granddads teeth, and as if Granddad had jumped into Iron Mans suit so was Granddad after him, making me look like the old person trying to keep up. Granddad is madly waving his walking stick, and then suddenly he is rising into the air as his stick got caught on the Ferris wheel cage. And so my fun afternoon begins, I did mention I was babysitting Granddad... didn’t I. Any suggestions of how I am going to get him down?
Jayanna Gibson