Grandmother Tanner looked at the box of Lego’s Jeff held under his arm. “Goodness, Jeffrey, are you still doing your shopping?”
“Still finding fault, Mother?”
“Don’t be so sensitive. I was merely making an observation.”
Grandfather Tanner, meanwhile, beamed down at his two grandsons and pointed with his pipe. “How are you doing, boys?”
Brian just shrugged. Davey beamed right back. “Me an’ the boys is doin’ fine, Granpa!”
Grandmother Tanner heard that, and turned around sharply.
Davey quickly covered his cheeks with both hands.
“Grandfather,” he spat out quickly.
“What boys are those, David?” Grandfather Tanner asked.
Davey lowered his hands and began counting off his fingers – starting with the littlest one. “There’s Petey, and Modine, and Eubanks, and Joe-Bob – ”
“Eubanks?” Jeff interrupted.
“That’s a perfectly lovely name,” Grandmother Tanner admonished him.
“Now who the heck are they?” Grandfather Tanner asked.
Davey stuck his chest out proudly. “My homies!”
“I think they’re his make-believe friends,” Jeff explained.
Davey looked like Jeff had just announced the Tooth Fairy was taking back all the money she’d ever given him. “They’re not make-believe, they’re imaginary!”
“Okay, okay,” Jeff agreed to quiet him down.
Grandfather Tanner frowned, and tamped down his pipe with a silver rod. “I read once where imaginary friends are indications of an unwillingness to deal with real-life problems.”
Davey stared at Grandfather Tanner. It was not a pleasant stare.
Grandfather Tanner tamped down the pipe some more.
Davey stared.
Grandfather Tanner lit the pipe with hands that shook the tiniest bit.
Davey continued to stare.
Grandfather Tanner pulled at the pipe and blew out a thin stream of smoke.
Davey stared all the more.
Finally, Grandfather Tanner shoved one hand in his pants pocket and pulled out a shiny new quarter, which he held out to Davey.
Without any hesitation, Davey took the coin and turned away…but not before he gave Grandfather Tanner a sideways glance. Watch it, bub, he seemed to be saying.
Grandmother Tanner ignored all of this, and instead tried to reason with Davey. “Don’t you think it’s time you stopped playing with imaginary friends, and made some real ones?”
Davey spoke slowly and distinctly, as though explaining to a child. “They are real.”
Grandmother Tanner flashed her little condescending smile. “No they’re not, David.”
“Yes they are.”
“No, they are not – ”
“Yes they ARE.”
Grandmother Tanner leaned over, her fingers poised like lobster claws. “No they’re not.”
Davey clasped his cheeks and ran shouting from the room.
“YES THEY ARE YES THEY ARE YES THEY ARE!”
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Copyright © 2008 Darren Pillsbury. All rights reserved.
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