My grandmother Helen had just turned 84. She lived alone in that old house and refused to move. Her husband had died many years ago. He use to keep the place up, so now it was the family having to help out.
I was heading home from work, but needed to go by Helen's place first to replace a window shade. I drove up the drive and Helen was at the side door happy to see me.
"Marcus, my dear, thanks for coming over and helping your old granny out."
"Not a problem Grandma. I'm glad to help out."
I made my way in and granny gave me a quick kiss on the cheek.
"It's the mini blind in my bedroom upstairs," Grandma said. "It just keeps falling off the...whatever those things are called."
"Okay, let's have a look at it."
Granny led me up the narrow stairs to the second floor and we made a sharp turn to the right. I realized that I had never been upstairs in her house before. The second floor was situated under the roof. It was almost like an attic space. Her bedroom was nicely decorated and looked comfortable and warm. In the middle was an older queen size bed, just next to the dormer window with the malfunctioning mini blind.
"Looks like the mounting brackets are coming loose from the wall. I think I can take care of that. I'll grab a couple of tools from my car and be right back."
As I exited the small room I had to turn sideways to fit between the bed and grandma. It almost seemed that she let herself get brushed up against.
"I got the tools grandma, let's get 'er fixed."
"Oh, thank you so much Marcus. I don't know what I'd do if..." Grandma said.
I tapped out new mounting holes for the brackets, got them aligned and tightened up in no time. Now to rehang the mini blinds. I turned to pick them up and noticed that granny seemed to be staring at my butt. She looked up and blushed a bit. I got back to work and the blinds were good to go again.
"Marcus, again, thanks!" Granny said. "Since the blinds are in my bedroom I always worried that someone might be trying to watch me outside."
"Well Grandma, your privacy is safe now."
"Grandma," I continued, "I've never been up here before."
Granny said, "Do you like it?"
"Yes, it's really kind of nice and comfortable up here."
"We haven't really talked in a while." granny said. "Could you stay for a bit?"
"The repair didn't talk long at all, I can stay for a while."
"Have a seat."
There was a chair in the corner of the bedroom and I sat down. Granny was sitting on the bed.
Granny spoke, "Marcus, I really appreciate every time you come over here to help out. You know that I'm all alone and just can't take care of some things around here."
"It's okay Grandma, I'm glad to help."
I paused for a minute and remembering how she seemed to be looking at my butt asked, "Is there anything else I can help you with today Grandmother?"
"I'd like to tell you something, Marcus. You know I lost Grandpa 20 years ago. Since then I have been alone. And, forgive me, but I trust you and want to tell you that even though your granny is 84, I still sometimes have desires."
"Grandma, there is someone for everyone out there. You just have to find the right person."
"Oh, I'm too old to try and cultivate and nurture a new relationship with a man. That is a lot of work. Besides, if I was looking for anyone, it would have to be someone younger than me....someone that reminds me of your grandfather, because he was younger when I lost him, and that is how I remember him."
"Granny, it is just the two of us up here now. Nobody else is around. Is there something I could do to help?"
"Marcus, my dear, you look so much like you grandpa when he was young. Sometimes I just miss the sight of him."
"Look all you want, Grandma. It's okay."
"Marcus, what I mean is, well, I haven't seen a man naked in 20 years."
