Every school holiday we always pack our bags visiting grandmother. She is an old woman. Dry wrinkles skin covers whole of her body. She can’t stand straight, she is hunchback. Even though she is old but she is still capable of walking around, only that her interest is lesser. She seldom go to town or visiting her children, who are living far from her. Home is her heaven after grandfather died a decade ago. Home certainly has a secret of making her happy.
My mom always asked my grandmother if she wants to come to stay with us or just a few days visit. I never understand my grandmother when she said ” I have chickens and ducks to take care. They will b hungry if im gone” After mom inviting her a few times, she agrees to her words. I was happy she came to our home.
One day, my mom went to the town to buy some groceries. So, i stayed home with grandmother. She cooked porridge and sweeping floor. I started to cry because i want to drink some juice and i want grandmother to make it for me. My grandmother took me and carried me on her back. My grandmother sang her favourite lullaby. I was happy to hold my grandmother and fell asleep. When my mom came she was scolding me. I kept quite and just blinking my naughty eyes.
The next day, i saw my grandmother was busy at a kitchen. She was peeling some mangoes. I sat and watched her hands cleaning the sweet sour mangoes. She cuts them into small pieces. Then she mixed with chillies and some shrimp paste. It looks tasty. My grandmother asked if the mangoes was spicy enough, i told her to put more chilies because dad loves it reddish and fiery. That lunch time, everyone drinks a lot of cold water and dad dont seems to be happy with the mangoes. His face turned red and repeating Hisshhh…Hisssshh….Hissshhh!!! My mom asked grandmother why so much chilies and too much spicy. My grandmother looked at me, i looked at her too. My mom pulled my ears but i put my arms around my grandmother and gave her a sweet smile.
Time running fast. We are sending my grandmother back to her home. Her face looked shining with happiness. The chickens and the ducks surely be waiting for her, she left them for a week already. I hope no one died of hunger.
It was fruit season that month. Durians, rambutans and all types of fruits were on for grab. My cousins will be there too as always. We will climb trees and eating fruits whole day together. That evening, my grandmother called me ” Here some fruits for you! Dont you give it to anyone” It was a big bucket of rambutan fruits. I saw she picked them and kept it in her room this morning. I was surprised, what made she think that i could eat one big bucket of rambutan. I squeezed a few, after i kissed her i went down to climb trees with my cousins.
The sun went home. Our moms called us for bath. Mosquitos were all flying around. Dogs were barking. It was slowly getting dark and silence. That night my mom and i sleeping together with my grandmother in one room. She slept in a mosquitoes net bed. We were sleeping on the floor beside her. I fell asleep as soon as i put my head on the pillow.
In my sleep I could feel there was something wrong. So I wake up and looked around. My grandmother was noisy. I hold and shaked my mom arms and asked her to tell grandmother to control herself. I couldn’t sleep. The snoring was really annoying. My mom just kept her eyes closed. After a while, I watched both of them sleeping happily. As soon I opened my eyes it was 11 O’clock already.
Its time to say goodbye to grandmother. After bathing and lunch, dad called all of us to get ready to take off. I will always remember my grandmother. Even though im playing tricks on her i want her to know, those are my sign of love for her.
💋Dzie