Grandpa Learns A Lesson

Earlier this month, my wife and I were on vacation in the Seattle area, visiting our daughter and her family, including our 6-year-old granddaughter, Kayleigh.

Kayleigh is special in every way. She is active in singing, Scouting, swimming, gymnastics, ballet and aerobics.

But living in the Seattle area, her parents are especially concerned about her safety. They have cautioned her about talking to strangers and they keep a close eye on her when she is at play.

During our visit, our granddaughter gave us five envelopes containing pictures she had drawn. We got busy, however, and put them aside.

When we got back home to Spokane and were unloading the camper, I discovered the unopened pictures.

“Oh, no,” I thought. We opened them right away. They contained drawings of hearts with words such as “Grandpa, I love you,” “Grandma, I love you” and “See you soon.”

I thought I should call Kayleigh and thank her for them. My wife said, “Why don’t you change your voice?”

I’m always playing little jokes with Kayleigh, so it sounded like a good idea. This time, however, it was a big mistake.

Her dad answered the phone. He was baby-sitting while our daughter was attending a PTA meeting at Kayleigh’s school. He put Kayleigh on the line.

“Hello,” she said.

“Kayleigh,” I said, plugging my nose to disguise my voice, “do you know anybody in Spokane, Washington?”

“No.” She sounded uncertain.

“Don’t you have a grandpa and grandma in Spokane, Washington?”

“No.” She sounded a little weaker than the first time.

Then I heard a muffled voice in the background: “Daddy, I don’t want to talk to that man.”

Wow.

Then I heard her dad say, “Oh, silly, it’s your grandpa.”

She then came back on the phone, her voice quivering so much. “Hi, … hi, Grandpa.”

Then my wife got on the phone and was able to reassure her.

But this experience still haunts me.

Kayleigh is only 6 years old. Her parents’ training is paying off.

MEMO: “Your turn” is a feature of the Wednesday and Saturday Opinion pages. To submit a “Your turn” column for consideration, contact Rebecca Nappi at 459-5496 or Doug Floyd at 459-5466 or write “Your turn,” The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane 99210-1615.