Grandpa © Tony Fallon 030618

Grandpa © Tony Fallon 030618

Grandpa and I sat in the kitchen which was cold

The only pair of boots he owned he had just resoled

The summer was not over it was the middle of July

There wasn’t much of a fire the turf was in short supply

They lived far away from the bog twenty miles by road

They bought some turf from Dugra bog just one big lorry load

So the fire was also kept going with wood from fallen trees

The odor of smoke from the fire was carried far on the breeze

We had very little in common I still hadn’t started to school

And I was afraid to talk in case he would think me a fool

We lived many miles away and to visit grandpa was rare

My mother had a fitting in Athleague and I was under his care

He asked if I could play checkers or any other board game

When he asked he said you I bet he couldn’t remember my name

When I said I could play checkers I could tell he was impressed

He said you have a good teacher your mother is one of the best

He got out the draft board I played my first game with the master

It lasted no more than five minutes in fact it might have been faster

That was not the last time we played that was not my last slaughter

And he was as good if not better than my mother his oldest daughter

He said you’ve got the basics and you’re not bad for such a wee lad

But you have plenty to learn from your mother and me your granddad

It was like a challenge was laid down as I sat in that old country seat

I wish I could go back in time and with grandpa once more compete