Luke's Grandpa

"We can build the biggest snowman on the block if we work on it all day," Marco said, adding another handful of snow to the snowman's middle.

"That would be great," Luke replied. "But my grandpa's picking me up soon. We're going to spend the day together." Luke, on his knees in the I snow, started rolling the cold white stuff into a ball for the snowman's head.

"No way," Marco groaned. "Spending the day with your grandpa? That will be totally boring. Can't you get out of it, Luke?"

"Nope," Luke answered. "My grandpa's been planning this day for weeks. He's going to surprise me with what we're doing."

Marco tossed a handful of snow at Luke. The snow splattered on the back of Luke's coat. "You're probably going to play a thrilling game of checkers," Marco said.

Luke shook his head. "I kind of doubt that. Here, help me lift the head up."

Marco and Luke lifted the large snowball onto the snowman's middle. Now the snowman stood taller than them.

"I know," Marco said. "He'll probably tell you boring stories about the olden days."

Luke laughed. "I kind of doubt that too," he said.

"And then he'll fall asleep in his chair, and you'll have to sit there and watch him," Marco continued. "Can't you even try to get out of it, Luke?"

"You don't understand, Marco," Luke replied. "My grandpa's not like that. And I really want to spend the day with him. Now we need stuff for the snowman's face. Let's look around."

Marco and Luke tramped through the snow in the front yard, searching for sticks or rocks or something good for the snowman's face.

"Hey, check out that neat SUV coming this way!" Marco suddenly shouted. "That's the newest, coolest kind."

Luke looked up from searching and smiled.

"Hey, it's stopping here," Marco said, as the SUV pulled to a stop in front of Luke's yard.

Suddenly a tall, thin man, dressed in ski clothes, jumped out of the front seat.

"Come on, Luke, get in gear!" he called. "I've rented you some skis and boots and poles. The slopes are waiting for us!"

"Coming, Grandpa," Luke called back, dropping the sticks he had collected. He turned to Marco. "Looks like my grandpa planned a day of skiing for us. And I'll bet he'll beat me in every race, like he always does."

"That's your grandpa?" Marco couldn't stop staring at the man standing next to the SUV.

"That's him," Luke replied. "Have fun working on the snowman. I know I'll have fun skiing."

Luke ran to the SUV and climbed into the passenger seat, as his grandpa returned to the driver's seat.

As the SUV pulled away, Luke glanced back at Marco, still standing there staring. Luke waved at his friend, and couldn't help smiling too. I have the greatest grandpa, he thought. And I get to spend the day with him, whooshing down the slopes. Nothing could be better than that.

By Heather Klassen