When time flies ...

Marlene Terry

I know it hadn't been that long ago. At least it didn't seem like it, that I'd talked to my oldest grandson.

But that day when I called the house and he answered, I was pretty sure I'd reached the wrong number.

"Hello" a deep mature voice greeted me.

I was dumbfounded and unable to answer.

"Hello ... Hello!" The repetition made me know I'd better say something or the next sound I would hear would be a dial tone.

"Is this the home of my  ..." the interrogation was abruptly interrupted when my voice WAS recognized.

"Hi Grandma. How are you," came the cheerful reply. "Are you coming over to see us?"

"Oh sometime soon I hope," I squeaked out, gasping with unbelief that it was him on the other end of the line.

What I wanted to say was "What happened to your voice? Do you have a bad cold? That's not a permanent bass is it?"

But instead we chatted about general things and then he turned the phone over to his mother.

Don't think she appreciated my questioning either.

Was there a stranger at her home who sounded much older than the sweet 10 or 11-year-old boy I hugged at my last visit?

What? My grandson is turning 15 on his next birthday? How can that be? Wasn't it just yesterday that I carried him around in his infant carrier, sang his favorite lullaby and ... HE HAS A GIRLFRIEND NOW?

Took me awhile to regain my composure and know that despite my denial, the darling little blonde, blue-eyed baby boy we loved so much really had grown up. The years had flown by and even though I'd enjoyed being a part of his life through short visits, cheering him on at some of his athletic and scholastic endeavors and making his custom homemade Halloween costumes for years, he'd left his childhood behind and moved on.

 ... "Guess that means he can't fit into his blue dragon suit anymore, or the Captain Jack Sparrow coat either," I added to the conversation, moaning.

"No he can't Mom," my daughter remarked, laughing. "But he is a great teenager!"

Guess it's true then. Time really does fly when you're having fun. And fun is exactly what the experiences of all those years has been!

♦ Hope you'll let me share your stories and photos here at my new residence "In a Nutshell." Email me at nutshellstories@gmail.com.