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Wednesday 4 January 2012

It's in the genes!

A happy new year to you all! And a merry Christmas to boot!
Now I’m going to start the New Year with an apology; I’m sorry there hasn’t been a new blog for the past couple of weeks. I’ve been ill. Sad times. If I was to ever use one of those silly emoticons, now would be the time. You know the one; the colon followed by the open bracket.
Pathetic I know.
I like to think that my blog is a witty sometimes witty perspective on my own little degree of self indulgence. But let me assure you, if I had written one over the past couple of weeks, it would had the usual level of self indulgence (probably a bit more even): It definitely wouldn’t have been witty. And I reckon it would have had more than its fair share of wretched uselessness. Nonetheless if you had wanted to hear about the time I ran out of tissues after a particularly explosive sneezing fit, I could have spun a fantastic yarn. Although I did discover that I actually had a couple of spares so that story might have fallen a bit flat.
But, I’m not here to talk about me (well not this time anyway). No, I’m going to shed some light on the family tree that has spawned my now well perfected idiocy. Obviously feeling withdrawal symptoms after I properly flew the nest last summer, it wasn’t long before the parentals were looking for further entertainment. And the solution I hear you ask? Simple; relocate my elderly Grandparents from their homestead in Cheltenham to the fresher country air of rural Shropshire. Obviously unsatisfied with the lack of humour provided by yours truly, surely the logical step would be to explore the other end of the spectrum; from youngest to oldest, the talent for causing distractions is present in every generation.
Now, before I continue, I would like to point out that I really like my grandparents, both of them. I really do. But when they come up with absolute comedy gold, my fingers get twitchy and I get the urge to blog.
To get you in the picture, my granddad is now 91 and still sharp as anything. He drinks copious amounts of whiskey and smokes a pipe, which he once asked me to get ‘some of that marijuana stuff’ to have a puff on. My nanna (aged 88, although don’t tell her I told you) then chimed in with ‘yes dear, I’ve heard it works wonders in brownies.’ Ironically when she asked me on my 21st  birthday if I took drugs (as you do) and I said only the good ones, I then had to phone and apologise.
Pure. Unadulterated. Madness. It’s in the genes, I’ll tell you that!
Anyway, seeing as the grandparents had recently moved to the shire, the parentals decided to have them over for Christmas dinner. That’s nice. Family spending time together. Three generations around the same table. Perfect.
But then, as the first course was being cleared away from the table I head.
‘Just slip it in Roy, no one will notice,’ said my nanna.
‘Well it’s not very stiff,’ responded my granddad.
WTF?!
‘It’s gone in fine before so just slide it in,’ she said followed by some deep breaths from my granddad.
As my mum handed me a plate of food to take to the table, it was with trepidation that I returned to the dining room.
‘Jack’s back now, perhaps he will help,’ said my nanna, passing me the shoulder pad that had fallen out of her jacket, leaving her looking like a lopsided Hilary Devey.
I must say I was quite relieved as it all suddenly started to make sense.
But the comedy didn’t stop there.
A few days later, they insisted on taking us all out for lunch which can be a bit of a drama in itself in as much as my granddad doesn’t have a hip, and the other one is a replacement so he’s a tad shaky to say the least. And that’s without the whiskey!
Rather surprisingly, the meal itself was actually pretty good and both of the grandies were on fine form. Until the bill arrived.
‘If you wouldn’t mind putting in your pin-code madam and then press the green button to confirm?’ said the manager.
Plunk. Plunk. Plunk. Plunk. Her finger very deliberately hitting each key in turn.
‘I’m afraid your pin had been declined madam. Could you enter it again?’
‘It is correct. I assure you,’ she said, enunciating each syllable with perfect Received Pronunciation. My granddad at this point took another sip swig of his whiskey.
The plunking followed, and was proceeded with the tell tale beep when the number was declined again.
‘I’m afraid you have only got one try left and then your card will be blocked,’ said the manager.
The look said it all. No words were needed. When she gets that look, no one can stop her. And believe me you wouldn’t want to either! But then again why would you, when you just know something brilliant is about to happen?!
It was with baited breath that the much anticipated finger plunked the key pad that final time.
‘What do you mean it’s not accepted?’ she said with genuine surprise. It would appear that there is something that can withstand the look.  
I was on removing the card and checking it carefully for any malfunction (she still fiercely maintained that the machine was wrong, as the so often are!) that we realised the error of her ways; it wasn’t her card. As it transpired, she had borrowed my granddads card to withdraw some money and forgotten to give it back, but the main thing she focused on was that she wasn’t wrong.
My granddad’s look said it all. But it was the swig of whiskey that told the story.

4 comments:

  1. Brilliant. Oldies are just comical. They knew it all and did it all long before us. If only they could remember where they put the t-shirt.

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  2. @ Katie: I'm glad you enjoyed it! Im sure there will be a few more blogs spawned from their antics!

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  3. I am sick, too. Also, we are getting together next week, so that I may meet your grandparents. That is all.

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  4. @ Nellie: Being sick really sucks! You'll be pleased to know that I have arranged a follow up visit with the grandies to provide some more blogging inspiration! Watch this space...

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