Grumpy Old Codger

On Christmas Day i received the wonderful news that i am to become a grandfather sometime next summer, something which fills my heart with pleasure and delight not to mention amazement seeing as i still feel only about 22 inside my head.

Becoming a grandad is a serious matter as it means that i can finally kid myself no longer that my youth is only recently removed and that i'm still very nearly a spring chicken; they teach folk how to become parents but nobody prepares us for becoming grandparents.

Should i suddenly kit myself out in braces, slippers and a pipe?

Should i now cultivate the furious growth of hair from my ears and nostrils?

Is it now acceptable for me to become as doddery and eccentric as i please?

I'm certain i'll be expected to bang on about the war from now onwards and to grumble incessantly about youngsters having it easy these days, how i remember when it was all fields around here and to suck noisily on peppermint humbugs around the clock.

So i'll officially become an Old Git at last, irascible and cantankerous to all and sundry, pretending that i'm stone deaf whenever anyone says anything that i don't wish to hear and being excused for my quaint old ways whenever i overstep the mark.

Actually, i think i'm going to quite enjoy being a grumpy Old Codger.

© Sean Barrett - Dec 2010