"Mama, is it my turn to go to Grandma's?"
"We'll see, Shane, we'll have to call Grandma to find out if she can have you this week-end."
Shane ran to get his little suitcase, "What shall I take?" Mama laughed, "wait until I call Grandma before you pack your suitcase."
Grandma was glad to have her grandson for a visit, so Shane hurried to pack his suitcase. He called to his mother, "What shall I take?"
"Well, let me see, you better take your nice shirt and pants, your pajamas, an extra pair of socks and underwear. Maybe you better take an extra pair of jeans, too."
After Shane packed his suitcase, Mother checked it to make sure he had everything. Father came in just then, and said, "I think I'll fix the fence at Grandma's today. Will it be all right if I stay at Grandma's, too, for a while this morning, Shane?"
"Oh sure, Daddy, you're lots of fun, too."
Daddy laughed, then added, "When you get ready we'll go." Shane picked up his suitcase. "I'm ready now!" Daddy got in the car and they waved goodbye to Mama, who had come to the door to see them off. "Remember to help Grandma and do what she tells you, won't you Shane?" Mama called as they started to leave."
"I will, " Shane shouted as the car started moving.
After they got to Grandma's, Daddy and Grandma were so busy fixing the fence that they didn't pay much attention to Shane. He noticed how pleased Grnadma was to have Daddy helping her. He wondered how he could help. too, and make her happy like that. Then Shane had an idea. Grandma's front lawn was getting pretty long. It was longer than anyone else's in the whole block. "Grandma, could I mow your front lawn?" Grandma and Daddy looked at Shane. Daddy said, "You have never cut a lawn before. I'm afraid you're not big enough." Shane burst out, "But I am big. He ran over to the pickle barrell standing by the back door. I'm almost as big as this old barrell, aren't I, Grandma?"
Daddy said, "Why don't you pull the weeds and the dandelions in the front lawn?"
"If I pull the weeds, then can I cut the lawn? Please Daddy... let me try."
Grandma turned to Daddy, "Why don't you let him try?"
"Okay." Daddy decided. Shane ran over to the old pickle barrell and let out an Indian war yell. Daddy and Grandma laughed, then Grandma went to get her old-fashioned lawn mower that had to be pushed by hand. Grandma showed Shane how to push the mower up one path and down the next, so there wouldn't be any scraggly spots. "Shane, you can stop whenever you get tired. If you get too tired, you can finish mowing tomorrow."
Shane started out with great enthusiam. Daddy chuckled, "That won't last long."
Once again Daddy and Grandma got so busy fixing the fence that they forgot all about Shane, until he came up to them and announced. "I'm all done, Grandma. Do you want me to mow the back lawn?" Daddy and Grandma looked at each other. Grandma said, well, my goodness, you haven't finished already have you. Let's just see if you got all the scraggly edges." They all walked around the front lawn. There weren't any scraggly edges! Grandma was surprised. "The neighbor boy I have do the lawns sometimes, doesn't do any better, and he's lots older than Shane, " she told Daddy.
Shane and Grandma were looking at Daddy. Daddy was looking very thoughtful.
Shane exclaimed, "See, Daddy, I am big, aren't I?"
Daddy smiled as he patted Shane on the head, "yes, you are big... you're bigger than I thought you were." As Shane walked away, he felt sure he was bigger than Grandma's pickle barrell.
(There was a handwritten note on the bottom of the page. This story that Grandma wrote was "sold to the Friends' magazine the same day Scott Anderson was born.")
I remember feeling so proud of myself that I was able to do sometime to contribute. The story continues; the back lawn was much harder than the front! I was able to finish it and also pick up trash around the yard. It felt good to help dad and grandma with the chores. Spending time with grandma was fun but was also a time to experience service for others. Thanks Mary, I enjoyed this memory.
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