A special day with my grandparents | Blog by Utpal, 12, Bangalore

On a warm Saturday morning, I was playing cricket with my friends outside in the front yard when I saw four people coming to our house. I couldn’t see them clearly as the sun was shining right on them. But when they came closer, I could see them. They were my lovely grandparents.

Upon reaching the house, they waved to me, and I waved them back. I told my friends that I really needed to go, and they understood. I felt a bit guilty, so I told them we could play in the evening. Everybody said okay and went home.

I went inside and spoke to them. My younger brother also spoke to them. After some time, my parents told us that they had to go somewhere and left. Well, this was the opportunity we all (me, my brother, and my grandparents) were waiting for.

The next day was my parents’ anniversary and Parin (my younger brother) and I had planned to call our grandparents to decide on their gift. They had come from such a far place, so I thought they needed a rest, but no. They were so strong and healthy. It made me think that people from that generation are so strong. I wonder how they maintain that. Anyway, Parin pushed me, and I was about to fall. But that helped me to come back to the moment from my thoughts. They all were discussing the gift which they thought could be a matching watch for both of them. But my mother’s mother (Amamma) voted it out.

Then we thought it could be an earring for my mom but then what about my father? So, my father’s mother (Nanamma) voted it out.

Then we thought we could give three pillows – one with my mother’s photo, one with my father’s photo, and one more pillow with both of them on their trip to Thailand.

Yes, this was a fantastic idea! So, everybody voted for it.

So, my Nanamma and Thatha went to the shop to give the photos and order the pillows, while my Amamma and Thatha cooked food for all of us. They told Parin us we could rest in our room, and that they would call us when lunch was ready.

Parin told me he would play with the new PS5, and I said I would join him later on as I was going to my friend’s house to play. On the way, I thought of so many things, mostly about my grandparents. Mainly I was thinking about how they were so humorous and friendly with everyone.

But then I got the answer – to be happy. Whenever they were happy, they would always share stories and play with us.

By now, I had reached my friend’s house. I saw all my other friends playing there too. But just then I heard a horn from the car. It was my grandparents. They told me the pillows were ready. I hopped into the car and went back home. So much so for walking in the hot afternoon sun, gone for nothing!

Then I got a questioning thought. How are my grandparents such a lake of wisdom ? Whenever I have a problem or question, they always have the best advice. They’ve been through so much and know how to navigate life’s twists and turns. It also made me realize that age is just a number when it comes to life and my grandparents have proven it.

When we reached home, I got down and told Parin to wrap the pillows in beautiful gold and silver wrapping paper with a bow tied on top. He immediately said okay mostly because he was very good at arts and crafts and loved doing it. I helped him too. We spent a lot of time on it. But it was worth it. In the end, we both heaved a sigh of relief. My grandparents looked at it and said it was no doubt the best gift as it was made of pure love.

Now, it was turning into evening. Parin and I quickly ate our lunch. After we finished, we saw our friends waiting for us outside. We were playing a cricket match and Tanish (my friend) hit a six. It went so high that we couldn’t see the ball at first. Then we could see it. Just when the fielder was about to catch it, he fell. Just then, the door opened, and out came my grandpas. My paternal grandpa caught the ball with ease.

But it slipped his hand and fell on my maternal grandpa who caught it!  Then, Parin shouted, “My grandpas rock because they are as strong as a rock.” All of us laughed, including our grandpas. They both joined us for a friendly cricket match and enjoyed it a lot. After playing two matches my Nanamma called us inside for dinner.

We ate dinner and Parin and I kept our parent’s gift in our room. I told him that we should wake up at midnight and surprise them with it. He agreed with my plan.

When we came down, my parents’ car pulled into the driveway. As they came inside, I asked them what took them so long and where they had gone. They didn’t say anything, but my mom simply took out a box and my dad covered his left ring finger with his right hand. Then they counted, ‘3, 2, 1’ and showed what was there.

On my father’s finger, there was a beautiful diamond ring, and inside the box was a beautiful diamond and ruby necklace for my mom. It was just so wonderful. My dad said that the necklace was his gift to mom for their anniversary and mom said that the ring was a gift from her to dad for the anniversary. I was so happy for them.

I had set an alarm for midnight. I woke up and I also made Parin get up. We both called our grandparents who were sleeping soundly downstairs to come with us. They came and we took the gift with us and went into our parent’s room. Parin and I counted, ‘3,2,1, surprise’ so loudly that they woke up scared! We gave them their gift and they were very happy.

They unpacked the gift quickly and loved it so much that they slept with it for the rest of the night.

In the morning, I wished them a Very Happy 15th Anniversary and they were very happy. We ate breakfast, which was lemon rice, a specialty dish of my Amamma.

I thought of my grandparents who were now waving bye to us as they were leaving. I once again thought of them – such nice people, my grandparents definitely rock just like rock stars but even better.

After that, I told my parents I had a bit of homework due the next day (tomorrow) and I went up to my room to complete it. And that homework of mine was to write a short story on any topic. Do you know what topic I wrote about? I wrote on the topic ‘Why My Grandparents Rock’.

YAY!!!!!!!