Grandma and Grandpa Roth

Rosa taking her father and grandparents for a walk around the neighbourhood

Hello God, it's me Rosa, again. I know I did not pray last night and I'm sorry for that. I hope you did not forget about me already. So, God I have a problem. I need you to help me become a little more creative when making presents for people. I also need help to learn to be a little bit more patient. I'm really need help with those two things, I think. Other than that, I'm just a really good kid and I thank you for that and my family thanks you for that, and I thank you for my family especially my handsome daddy. So, God, I’m getting very tired now and don’t know what else to say. I hope when you go to sleep you have sweet dreams and I love you, Amen.

“Your father and I went for a long walk on the beach this morning, and I must say, it’s beautiful down here.” Sybil panicked for a second. Esther continued, “so many birds and all so very friendly,” Esther scoffed for a second, “except for those damn sorry, horrible seagulls. I wish we could feed all of them baking soda and watch them explode ha, ha, ha.”

Sybil looked at her mother with surprise. “Mummy,” she began, “that’s not nice to say.”

“You’re right Sybil. But think about how much better this world would be without them. There was also a small group of sparrows doing what looked like callisthenics near the waterfront and those, those seagulls kept walking up to them and annoying them. Why?”

Sybil understood her mother’s point of view, “they are Buddhists,” she tried to explain. “Who? The seagulls? No way!”

“No, no, mummy the sparrows. That’s Pawo and his family. They really are lovely birds. They have brought so much peace to this part of the world and that’s probably why the seagulls were annoying them.” Esther waved her wing in disgust.

“The Buddhists are really nice except when they come to your door and annoy you.”

“No mummy those aren’t Buddhists, they are the Hare Krishna lot and they are robins, not sparrows.”

“Whatever,” she replied, “it’s getting warm out here. Let’s go inside,” and with that both mother and daughter went indoors to a quiet nest.

The children were in school and George had taken his father in law to Krupnick’s deli in Surf City to get some pastrami for dinner. “And rye bread. Don’t forget the rye bread,” Esther shouted as they flew away, “and see if they have those kosher pickles from Bar Tempte.” But they were long gone. Floating effortlessly on the incoming breeze off the ocean.

“It’s a lot of stuff to carry,” Craig told George as they left the deli.

“It’s ok. I’ve arranged for an Uber to pick us up.”

“Uber!” replied an astonished Craig, “they have Uber down here?”

“Driven by the Falashas. In fact, they’ve made a killing down here, transporting people all over the place.”

“Anyway,” continued Esther, “as I was saying before, your father and I took a long walk along the beach down to the crab sanctuary. I didn’t know you had one of those here. And what do you think about us selling our nest back up in New Jersey and moving down here?”

Yes, Sybil had reason to panic. “What about daddy’s business?”

“Oh, he’s really retired from it. He just uses it so he can write off his American Express card as a business expense. James and Ethan really run the business now. And anyway, your father draws an income from it, so there would be enough money to live on down here. I can’t imagine the cost of living being higher than New Jersey.”

“No, it isn’t,” replied Sybil her brain working overtime to come up with a reason why they should stay in New Jersey and not move down to Top Sail. But as hard as she could, she just couldn’t come up with anything.

“Plus,” continued Esther, “it would be good to live around family especially in our old age.” “But what about Ethan and James’ families? You have grandchildren up there.”

Esther looked at her daughter with puzzlement. “Do you not want us to move down here closer to you and your family?”

“Oh no, no, no mummy. It’s not like that at all. It’s just that….” but words began to fail Sybil and then she realised that if she continued down this path, it would not end well.

“It actually wasn’t our idea at first. It was Rosa’s before she left for school this morning. She’s so adorable don’t you think?” Really thought Sybil and then smiled at her mother. “Don’t you agree?” asked Esther again and Sybil had no alternative but to agree with her mother. Why would Rosa do that she asked herself but couldn’t come up with a reason, or at least a reason that sounded plausible. I’ll have to ask George later. Maybe he knows.

No, it was news to George. He certainly didn’t want his in laws to move in next door to them. It would be a fate worse than death. After all, Sybil’s parents hadn’t approved of George since she first started going out with him. They both decided to approach Rosa when she returned from school later that afternoon.

At 3 o’clock promptly, Rosa flew into the nest and headed straight into the kitchen to see what Julia had prepared for her snack. “Where’s Julia?” she asked looking disappointed. “She went with a friend to the local store because your father forgot the rye bread from Surf City.”

“Oh, you went there daddy?” she asked already knowing the answer. “How about the half sour kosher pickles did you get them?” No, they did not get them. “They don’t have them here,” she continued feeling glum, “how can I eat pastrami on rye with mustard and no kosher pickles?”

“Are you up to another trip to Surf City?” asked Craig of his son in law. And then it dawned on Rosa’s parents why Rosa wanted her grandparents to move there. In a matter of hours, less than 24 hours, she had already got her grandfather wrapped around her finger.

“No there’s no need,” interrupted Sybil now really panicking. She would have to contend not only with George but her father when it came to dealing with Rosa and that would be unacceptable.

Timmy showed up. He was usually the last one home because he stayed behind working on some science project at school. He waved to the little crowd in the living room and disappeared into his bedroom. “He studies a lot,” remarked his grandfather.

“A little too much,” replied George, “we both wish he would be more outgoing.”

“Oh I’m sure it’s a phase he’s going through. Does he have a girlfriend?”

“He did,” said Sybil reluctantly, as she didn’t want to be reminded of that whole saga with the Surf City Rabbi’s daughter, “but she just wasn’t right for him.”

“Hi guys!” It was Julia’s turn to join the family group.

“Now isn’t this wonderful!” said Craig, “the entire Blau family in one room, with grandma and grandpa Roth.” He clapped his wings in delight.

“So, are you moving down here now Grandma Esther and Grandpa Craig?” Yes, it all became clear to her parents and Julia looked a little confused by the conversation.

“Are you guys moving down here?” she asked.

Timmy was interested and walked back into the room. “What’s this I hear about the two of you thinking about moving here?”

“Would you like that?” Esther was thrilled and went over to hug her husband. “We think it would be a great idea to all live in the same town!”

Rosa beamed, “yes!” she shouted.

Julia and Timmy shouted, “No!” at the same time and Sybil went over and held George’s wing.

“Why don’t we all have a gin and tonic except for you children and talk about it?”

“Good idea,” replied Esther believing she should be calling the movers.