“Please stop asking me about this. I’m afraid it is simply impossible for your grandmother to travel in her condition.”a
Jess had become tired of hearing the word “impossible”, as she tried to make her grandmother’s dream come true. Since Grandma had moved into the old people’s home, it was as though she was trapped in a prison. The spark had begun to fade from her eyes, and the fire that had always burned in her soul had started to fizzle out.
“Thanks for trying, Jess,” she would sigh, whenever Jess updated her on her latest attempts, “But I’ve just come accept it now. I’m old and unwell. I’ll never go to Ireland.”
Jess clenched her fists The owner of the residential home was adamant that Grandma was too ill to travel the thousands of miles to her spiritual home. Several generations ago, Grandma’s mother had moved from Ireland to Hong Kong. She had never returned to Ireland, but had inspired in Grandma a desire to go to the place about which her mother had always talked so fondly. As much as Jess hated to admit it, Grandma was right. She was too frail to travel so far on a plane. It was time for Jess to be a bit more creative.
After a few more conversations and negotiations with the residential home staff, and what felt like a million phone-calls and bookings, the day finally arrived.
“Where are we going, Jess?” asked Grandma, a few sparks of excitement beginning to glitter in her green eyes as Jess pushed her wheelchair along the corridors of the home, “What’s happening?”
When they reached the closed door of the sitting-room, Jess turned to her Grandma with a dramatic flourish. “Grandma,” she announced, “We’re going to Ireland!”
She opened the door slowly, and traditional Irish music started to play. A row of Irish dancers sprang into action in the middle of the room, which was garishly decorated with strings of shamrocks and Celtic symbols. Above the fireplace, a portrait of Grandma’s mother looked proudly at the room, smiling gently as if amused by the scene she saw before her.
“What do you think, Grandma?” whispered Jess, suddenly anxious that this hadn’t been such a good idea after all, “There’s Irish stew for lunch, and I even persuaded the staff to let you have a pint of Guinness.”
Grandma didn’t say a word, and Jess filled the silence with more chatter. “So I know that it’s not really Ireland – obviously – but maybe – I just thought that – we could at least pretend – just for the afternoon.”
Grandma reached out and took Jess’s hand. “Thank-you,” she choked through tears of joy, “Thank-you for making my dream come true.”
(452 words)
