The War With Grandpa

Peter uses another long sentence to announce that it’s time to talk about Grandpa Jack. His grandpa and grandma used to live nearby, but then his grandma, a smoker, got emphysema. As she had trouble breathing, they moved to Florida. Peter was sad about their move; he liked to play with them, and he liked how they let him do whatever he wanted. His grandpa was in construction, building houses. A long time ago, a large piece of wood fell on Grandpa and broke his leg. It didn’t heal properly, and he has arthritis.

Grandpa arrives late, and Jenny jumps up and grabs Grandpa’s neck for a hug. Peter thinks Grandpa looks different, and Sally (Peter’s mom) thinks Grandpa (her dad) looks lifeless. Peter sees Grandpa sitting on the bed, looking at a picture of Grandma. He wonders if people can die from sadness.

The creaking floorboards and dancing shadows continue to haunt Peter. It’s as if a killer is waiting outside his new room. The scene may be funny, but Peter is seriously frightened.

Peter has to tell the reader about a particular word: mope. Jenny mopes a lot. It means hanging around without energy, appearing sad, and acting as if life won’t get better.