WHERE are we going grandpa? asked the little fellow as he was all dressed up and ready to go. “To the airport!” said the grandfather, “to welcome your father back.” “Dad!” shouted the little fellow as his father came out of the airport, “Dad, do you enjoy staying in the airport?” “I don’t stay in the airport!” said his puzzled father.
“Of course you do!” said the little boy, “Of course you do dad! Remember we left you at the airport door a few months ago? And now you’ve come out of there! And do you know what I do when I miss you?” “You don’t have to tell your dad that!” said the grandfather gruffly looking at his son guiltily. “No, no tell me,” said the father with a gentle smile, “Tell me what you do when you miss me?” “Well grandfather and I come to the airport, we sit on that bench over there and we look at the door, and then grandfather says, ‘look beyond the door,’ can you see your father? And I say, yes granddad I think I can, and then I see you dad, and know you are okay and will come home soon!”
“I’m not sure you should have told your dad that!” said the grandfather to the little boy later as they sat that evening and chatted. “Why ever not,” said the little fellow, “Daddy was quite happy I’d found a way not to miss him too much!”
It was a few years later that the grandfather lay sick in hospital and the little fellow now a little older went to visit him, “Soon I will be going my little child,” whispered the grandfather and there will be much crying and wailing, but I don’t want you to shed a tear!”
“I will grandfather, I will!” wept the boy. “No, you shouldn’t, because that will make me very sad!” said the grandfather, “But I know what you should do when you do miss me!”
“What?” asked his grandson and his grandfather leaned forward and whispered into his ear. The day of the funeral came and they could not find the boy. “We have to take the body to the cemetery!” said the mother, “Where is our son!” “I left him at the airport!” said his father, “and we’ll collect him after we are done with the rituals!”
The boy was at the airport sitting on the same bench where he had sat with his grandfather before, smiling at the dark glass of the door. “Can you see him?” asked his father. “No dad I can’t!” said his son, “But I know he’s inside like he told me, with his best friend!”
“Friend?” asked his mother. “God ma!” the boy exclaimed, “He’s happy with God. He said he’ll fly about a bit, but most importantly he’d be there to welcome us, when our time is done!” There were no tears as the three went home. They knew their loved one was waiting for them, just beyond the door..!
