A Great Surprise 7/26/2008 by Dani

Tags -- DaniUpdate

About 11:30 last evening Cap decides he is not lost and we pull into a dark dock. He was very careful not to wake people up.

I was tired and laid my head down and was gone. At a quarter after midnight Pops woke me up and asked if I knew what day it was.

I was very groggy but after I thought about it Grannie would have celebrated another birthday today. I fought the tears and was doing pretty good for being so tired.

Pops told me to try and hang on for another 30 minutes and he would let me sleep – he had something special for me.

I heard what sounded like a bus and remembered what Cap had said. (Pops made adjustments to my word processing files and now CA turns into Cap instead of Captain – I wonder what else it has changed).

I walked out on deck and I see the bus is already filling with our guests but it seems the number had increased dramatically.

When Pops helps me board I saw a bunch of Grannie’s friends – there were friends of Moms’ – I saw Annie and BBs parents – I saw three or four people from the nursing home I got to know. Cindy and Jeni were there and reunited with Will and Denny.

It dawned on me Pops was throwing Grannie a surprise birthday party. I thought it was really cool – but I was only half right.

Pops put a blindfold on me and I told him I did not want any more games – everyone told me to quit being myself – a baby – and grow up.

I did not think it was funny. We stopped after a very short trip and Pops helped me down the stairs and I heard everyone coming off and moving behind me.

Pops thanked everyone for staying up late and making the trip. The bus will take them to the motel in a half hour.

Pops had someone say a prayer for Grannie then he asked me if I remembered what my last wish of Grannie had been. I tried to think back but I very seldom asked her for anything.

Pops told me to think back to Christmas and I had no clue. Mom told him to quit torturing us and get on with it.

Pops said that I had wished we could have Christmas one more time at Grannie’s house like we used to every year. Someone would make gingerbread and cinnamon rolls and oatmeal with fresh fruit – even today, oatmeal reminds me of those days of past.

She kept the farm going for twenty years after Grandpa died (I was not alive yet) and only gave it up when her back had to be fused and Mom insisted she come live near us.

That was 10 years ago and the house was not doing too good.

It did not have any damage because a farmer lived next door and chased off the teenagers.

A new paint job, some remodeling and paint in the interior and it would be livable again but it would be expensive and no one thought it was worth it.

After I made my wish, Grannie got together with Pops and they made a plan. And then Grannie died. But Pops was more determined than ever.

He pulled my blindfold off and I saw nothing – all the lights of the bus were off and the only light I saw looked like a flashlight several miles away.

Then I was speechless for a couple of hours. It was something I will never forget and never let go of.

And right now I have to save this as a draft and come back to it – some local friends have just stopped by.