23/01/2014 – tnkerr-Writing Prompts and Practice

Daily Prompt: Nice Is as Nice Does
Tell us about the nicest thing you’ve ever done.

I didn’t read the entire assignment before I started writing. I read only the headline – Nice is as Nice Does. I finished the story and then read that I was supposed to write about me and something nice that I have done. This story is not about me. However, the prompt coupled with a post on Facebook did serve as the inspiration. I figured that was close enough for a post.

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“If you can guess what’s in my pocket, you can have it.” This is how my grandpa always greeted me when I would see him.

Over the years I learned to be generic with my guesses. The odds were greatly improved if I said “Candy” and not “Peppermint” or “a toy” vs “a top”. He always managed to bestow the prize before we parted ways but the game controlled the timing, and his prizes were often amazing.

When I turned 16 he had a key in his pocket. I didn’t guess it. I did spend some time wondering who’s old truck was parked in front of our house for the better part of a week before Grandpa could stand it no longer and flipped me the key. “Why don’t you go gas up that truck out front and call that girl you’ve been bird-dogging’” he said. My mom freaked over that one.

When I graduated he had a watch in his pocket, and not just any watch. It was the pocket watch that had been passed down in his family from father to son for generations. Grandpa had no sons but he had me.

When Anne and I announced our engagement Grandpa had his wedding ring in his pocket. He said, “Wear this for 25 years then take it off. It’s bad luck after that.” And, that’s exactly what I did. Anne has been my wife for 40 years but I haven’t worn a wedding ring for the last 15.

Grandpa passed away about 20 years ago. I was overseas when it happened. I got back for the funeral. Open casket, as he wanted. When we all filed by to pay our respects I tucked a picture in the breast pocket of his suit coat. It was a photo of him and me taken by my mom when I was about 6 years old. We seemed to be having a smiling competition. Who had the biggest smile. My front tooth was missing and I was holding up the baseball that had been in his pocket earlier that day. I patted his pocket to smooth it back down over the photo I had just placed there, “I know what’s in your pocket Grandpa. You keep this one.”

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