My Fill In Grandpa
I have a special friend who is like a grandfather to me. You see, I have a grandpa but he is affected by dementia so I don’t see him much.
Coach King is my “fill in” grandpa. He does fun stuff with me. For example, he has taken my friend and me canoeing and he lets me swim in his pool. When I go to school, I love to have our special times. We always sit on the bleachers. I tell him my secrets and he just listens, or we just observe people.
Coach King teaches me so many things my dad never has time to – like how to use stilts, memorize Bible verses, and how to play volleyball.
Coach King has this smell: it’s like fresh suits and cologne. Whenever I hug him I feel loved. Every year at school we have Grandparents Day and I always felt sad. But now, his four-year-old granddaughter comes and gets me and we all spend Grandparents Day together.
Through the years with Coach, I have learned that a grandpa doesn’t have to be blood-related. He can just be a really special friend.