MLS, that’s a keeper!
It was a lovely gathering at the grandparents’ house. The dinner was finished, the plates and pans were cleaned and the family was chatting, in small groups, around the crackling fire.
Grammy and Grampy had just settled into their easy chairs, when suddenly, Grammy LEANED forward, looking like she was about to tumble from her seat. Startled, Agnes jumped up from the ottoman, and, steadying her mother, gently eased the 76-year-old back into her cozy chair.
After a little while, and just as the family had settled down again, Grammy made another, more violent lurch forward. In fact, it startled her middle son, Phil, so much that both he AND his sister jumped up to the old woman’s aid.
This time, though, her children decided not to take any chances. While Agnes comforted her elderly mother and kept her frail shoulders firmly against the La-Z-Boy, Phil tied his mother’s afghan around the back of the chair as a kind of a crude seat belt.
Satisfied, the family settled back down again before the fire. Some time passed, and it seemed peaceful enough, until little Kenneth climbed up carefully onto Grammy’s lap and leaned in to give her a big hug. Seeing his Grammy’s strained expression, though, he was startled to his feet.
“Grammy,” he said, “you look upset. Am I too heavy?”
The old woman shook her head, seemingly unable to speak.
“Is it the blanket? Is it too tight?”
Again she shook her head.
“Oh no Grammy!” Kenny cried, “Then what’s wrong?”
The old woman sighed and shrugged. “They won’t let me faaaaaaart!”