Grandad

Today is my Dad's birthday. He was probably Kieron's best mate. In one of Kieron's school books he had an exercise to do on the best and worst days of his life. Under 'worst day' he wrote "the worst day of my life was when my Grandad died". Kieron was nearly 4 when my Dad died aged 81 and it was only a fluke he wasn't with him at the time.
My Dad babysat all my children but especially enjoyed Kieron's company as by then, my Mum's Alzheimer's was advanced and he always said that Kieron brought life into the house. The night before he died he was due to have Kieron overnight to give me a bit of a break. He rang me that evening saying that he had indigestion and thought it would be better if Kieron didn't come over. Kieron was disappointed but knew that it wouldn't be long before he stayed over again, plus we went to see my parents daily.
The next morning, Dad went out to get food for their cats and died in his car. Kieron would have been with him.
It was hard telling the kids, but Kieron was there with cuddles for us all as always.
One of Kieron's favourite tales is when Dad came to my house to babysit: I had opened an alcopop while getting ready, but left most of it in the bottle. On my return home I was informed that Kieron had fallen asleep suddenly on the settee but Dad had managed to carry him up to bed. No mean feat for a man of 81 with a withered leg, but he did it. "By the way" he said, "I let Kieron finish off your bottle of cherryade, and then he was fast asleep".
Kieron always laughs at this...he tells the tale with the opening sentence of "do you remember when I was 3 and Grandad got me drunk?" and giggles with delight.
They were two rogues, ganging up on me with fiendish pleasure. It was great.