I looked around my apartment. "What do I do now?" I asked Tyler. "I've just graduated from college, and I have a low-level job that keeps me occupied from 7 to 3:30 on weekdays. I don't want to spend all my afternoons here, watching TV or going online."
He paused for thought. "My grandmother lives half a block from you. You could visit her. I'm warning you, she's really good at Scrabble. Don't let her hook you into a game unless you're prepared to lose."
"She's your grandmother, not mine," I told him. "Why don't YOU visit her?"
"When my mom - her daughter - married my dad, she severely disapproved and has made a vow never to see her or any of her kids, including me."
"So, I'm supposed to do what? Introduce myself as a friend of the grandson she doesn't acknowledge exists?"
"Oh, she acknowledges me and actually likes me," Tyler replied. "She just won't see me in person. But we talk on the phone all the time."
With that, he pulled out his cellphone and dialed a number. I could only hear his side of the conversation.
"Hi, Grandma, it's Tyler... yes, I'm doing well, I have a job... yes, the college education paid off... look, one of my friends wants to know if he can keep you company on weekday afternoons... his job ends at 3:30 so he can be over there by 4 pm... yes, half a block from you... his name is Frank... right now?... well, it is a Sunday, so, sure... Ok, bye."
He turned to me. "Frank, she wants you to come over immediately." He wrote down the address. "Her name is Maud. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday. I'm out."
I took a very fast shower, put on clean clothes, and walked the half block to Maud's house. I rang the doorbell.
The door opened to the length allowed by the chain. A short, white-haired, slightly plump, and bosomy woman addressed me. "Who are you?"
"I'm Frank, ma'am. Tyler's friend. You must be Maud."
She unhooked the chain. "Come on in." She closed the door behind me as I entered. Once inside, I shook her hand. "I'm 67 years old, but still sharp as a tack. Want to challenge me at Scrabble?"
I shook my head. "I'm 23 years old and smart enough to heed a warning from a friend."
Maud giggled. "In that case, let's do something else." We were in her living room, and she gestured to a shelf full of games.
"This one," I said, taking down the chess set. Maud proceeded to take 4 out of 5 games from me over the next three hours. I shook my head. "You weren't kidding about being as sharp as a tack."
She smiled. "Thanks for the company tonight, Frank. Tomorrow at 4, after you get off work?"
"I'd love it, Maud."
The next day, I agreed to play one game of Scrabble with Maud. She clobbered me, using all 7 letters in her rack four times and winning 528-204.
"I'm not doing that again unless we don't keep score," I told her.
"Did your widdle male ego get hurt?" Maud grinned, tweaking me. "Can't stand losing a brainy game to a mere woman?"
"I don't mind losing," I told her. "But that wasn't losing. Losing would be if it was 320-285. That was getting crushed under a jackboot."
Maud got up from the table and walked around it to where I was sitting. "Let me make it up to you, Frank." With her standing and me sitting, she was just slightly taller than I was. She wrapped me in a hug for about ten seconds. "Feel better?"
I laughed. "Sure."
We played a game of Risk, which I won.
The next day, we played another game of Risk, and she returned the favor.
On Wednesday, I asked her if she wanted to do something other than play board games. We sat on her couch and watched "Lawrence of Arabia."
The next day, we watched "Judgment at Nuremberg."
On Friday, when I arrived, Maud asked if I would like to stay for dinner, given that I didn't have to be up early for work in the morning. I accepted, and offered to help her cook it.
"Guests don't help cook," she informed me.
"But I'm young, and you're... not young anymore," I protested.
"I manage to feed myself every day," Maud replied. She did have a point there. "And I'm not old and decrepit yet." She turned her back on me and gave her booty a little shimmy, then turned back around.
"Did you just do what I think you just did?"
"I don't know, Frank," she teased. "What do you think I just did?"
"You're gonna make me say it, aren't you."
"Out with it, young man. What do you think I just did?"
"You gave your rear end a little shimmy."
"Just because I'm not 18 doesn't mean you have to dance around things. Call it an ass. Yes, I gave my ass a shake."
"Why?"
"Because I'm trying to prove to you that I'm still sexy."
I stared at the floor. "You do look good for your -"
"You don't want to finish that sentence. I look good for any age, kiddo."
I stared at the floor more intently, focusing my attention about two inches in front of my feet.
"If you really want to help, you may."
My head snapped back up, and I accepted. Dinner was simple but very tasty.
That night, I thought about it. What was Maud trying to do? Was she possibly trying to get me into her bed? It sure seemed that way, Well, I was going to spend most of tomorrow with her. I'd ask then.
The next day, we began by watching "Mutiny on the Bounty." After the movie ended, I helped Maud prepare sandwiches. As we ate our lunch, we chatted.
"Something's on your mind, Frank."
"Maud, what was that all about last night? Do you like me in... that way?"