To Be Fair, One Happens A Lot More Often…

My grandfather, who I live with, has just been through some rounds of surgeries and treatments for cancer. My cousin, my aunt, and I are going to visit him in the hospital on my birthday.

Aunt: “Okay, [My Name], you know I’ve been around lots of people who have gone through these treatments, and their memory might not be the best from the toll the treatments take on their bodies. Don’t take it personally if he forgets it’s your birthday.”

Me: “Oh, I understand. He has lots more important things to focus on right now, anyway.”

We walk into Grandpa’s room as he’s eating lunch. We chat away about how he’s recovering and about his hospital stay. Then, he stops eating and gets a serious look on his face.

Grandpa: “Did anyone remember what day it is today?”

I pause, happily surprised that he might have remembered.

Cousin: “Garbage day?”

Grandpa: “That’s right. Did you put the trash at the end of the driveway?”

Cousin: “Sure did!”

Grandpa: “Good.”

He went back to eating. We said nothing more about it until we got to the parking lot and had a laugh about it.

Grandpa did end up beating the cancer, but we never stopped laughing about the time he remembered trash day but not one of his grandkids’ birthdays.