"He's bored, is that what the boy just said?”
“Ignore him Dad, he's got plenty to keep him occupied.”
“I remember telling my grandfather, well that would make him your great grandfather of course, that I was bored once. Must have been about young Henry's age you see, and do you know his reply was a curious one. What have you got to be bored about? Funny what we pack into the suitcase they call our memories isn't it. I still haven't the foggiest idea what he meant by it. I wish he was here now to ask. Do you think I'll tell Henry something nonsensical and he'll be my age one day wondering what it meant?”
“Kids don't listen these days Dad I'm afraid it goes in one ear and out the other.”
The old man lets out a little chuckle. “I hate to shatter your illusions but that's a skill passed down to every new generation of males in every family worldwide.” His daughter glances at him and rolls her eyes like she's drawing an imaginary rainbow in her mind. He knows better to pay it too much attention and instead turns his towards his grandson.
“You know Henry when I was your age we were banned from being bored. We certainly were never allowed to be bored inside the house so we'd be thrown outside whatever the weather and told to use our imagination. Have you ever fired a gun at a German bomber plane?”
Henry glanced first as his mother maybe hoping for help on what the correct answer was in that situation but she proved to be of no use so he tilted his head to one side like a confused dog and just stared at his grandfather.
“Is he OK? Thirty seconds ago he was bored and now he looks like the weight of his head is about to snap it off clean his neck and roll down the carpet. Your mother won't be pleased if she's got to clean a fallen off head from the floor and it'll be my fault no doubt as it always is.” Henry's head snapped back upright and his jaw fell open.
“I'll tell you what Henry if you stay standing like that I'll throw coins in your mouth and whatever you catch you can keep, how does that sound? Will that cure your boredom?”
“Dad!” His daughter exclaims in the world's shortest telling off, the parenting roles now fully reversed.
“She gets it from your Grandmother Henry, better get used to it my boy you'll be hearing a lot of it from women throughout your life. Us boys are always in trouble or getting told off for something.”
Was this the nonsensical piece of advice Henry would one day wonder it meant long after his grandfather had passed away? No of course not. That's called stating the blessing obvious.
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