• Six-year-old Shane was very excited. What he always wanted was finally going to happen. His grandpa would move in with them into their apartment. He would no longer have to spend time on his own when his parents were out at work.

    Shane’s grandpa was so frail that his hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and he often faltered while walking.

    “Welcome home, grandpa! We will be staying in the same room,” jumped about an excited Shane. He was so anxious to share his toys with grandpa. The old man was tired but went along with the kid to make him feel happy. After all, Shane was the only reason he had agreed to stay with his son and daughter-in-law.

    Shane’s mom and father were not exactly over-the-moon to have the old man, but they had to for Shane’s sake. After all, you can never trust your kid with a domestic help.

    The family had dinner together every night at the dining table. But the old man’s shaky hands and poor eyesight made things rather difficult for all. When he tried drinking water or milk from a glass or soup from a bowl, he would spill it all on the tablecloth.

    Rice and pieces of chicken would drop from his spoon onto the floor. His son and daughter-in-law got so irritated with the mess that they decided to stop having dinner with the old man.

    “I’ve had enough of this spilling soup everywhere, noisy eating, and scattering food all over the floor,” said his son. They set a tiny table in the dark corner of the room for the old man, without giving a thought to his feelings.

    There, grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed their dinner at the main table. They all forgot about him. Even Shane wasn’t allowed to share the table with his dear grandpa. Since grandpa had broken a few glass plates, his food was served in a wooden bowl. If only they had glanced in the old man’s direction, they would have seen the tears in his eyes as he ate alone.

    No one bothered. All that the old man got from his son and daughter-in-law were sharp rebukes when he dropped a fork or spilled food. Little Shane watched it all in silence. He knew he had to do something for the sake of this old man.

    One evening before dinner, he was nowhere to be found. Finally, his father found him playing with bits of wood in his room. “What are you making sweetheart?” he asked the child tenderly. The boy replied very sweetly, “Daddy, I am making a wooden bowl for you and mommy to eat in when I grow up like the two of you.”

    With this Shane went back to his bit of work. His parents were so dumbstruck that they did not know what to say or do. They simply stood there speechless. Suddenly they realized tears rolling down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both Shane’s mom and father knew what must be done. That evening, the two grown-ups took the old man and gently led him back to the family table to have dinner with them. The old man was so happy.

    Shane’s grandfather lived with them for a few months before death claimed him in his sleep. As long as he was there, he had every meal with the family. No one cared when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.