Another Cute Story About Grandpa

All right. I've been trying to relay this story for awhile now, so we'll see how I do! Sometimes the hardest stories for me to tell are the ones that are true!

Last Sunday, my sister and I visited my grandparents. We don't get to do that together (or at the same time) that often, so it was a treat to have dinner with them.

First of all, let me say this. Filipinos are not well known for their desserts. Luckily for us, my grandpa has a sweet tooth and keeps the chocolates and candies well stocked. This night's offering was a box of Aplets and Cotlets and a canister of Almond Roca. After dinner, my sister opted for the box of Aplets and Cotlets. She opened the box only to find six gold wrappers. We assumed they were Almond Rocas.

Grandpa laughed and said that our cousin, Olivia, must have done it. Still laughing, he went upstairs to retrieve more candy from his not-so-secret candy stash. (It's in the bottom right drawer of his desk.) When he returned, we opened the box again and found that the wrapper held not Almond Rocas, but...Aplets and Cotlets.

Bewildered, my sister and I wondered aloud why Olivia would do such a thing.

"She must have been bored," was the answer Grandpa offered.

My sister and I agreed. Since Olivia was expected to come later that night, we hid a real Almond Roca in the box and waited. We were not to be outdone by our young cousin.

When she finally arrived, she opened the box, pulled out a golden wrapped aplet and ate the treat as if it had always come wrapped. She also completely missed the real Almond Roca.

Bewildered for the second time that night, my sister and I burst into laughter. Olivia stood dumbfounded as her two older cousins were reduced to tears. When we finally composed ourselves, my sister related the story from earlier that evening. Olivia said she didn't do it. After she pleaded her case five more times, I remembered that she wasn't a criminal mastermind. I'm not saying she's not clever--for she very much is--it's that unlike most of us in the family, she doesn't use it for evil.

So...we rounded up the usual suspects. My Uncle Ned and my cousin JJ were on the top of the list, but they had not visited my grandparents in over a week. My Uncle Ronnie's tricks were mostly puns, not props. Other than my mother and I, the only person left was....

...my grandpa smiled, watching the scene unfold. And more than he had in months, laughed out loud. He enjoyed the prank completely. He told us that the trick was intended for Olivia. It was just a great bonus that he got my sister and I confused, too.

He laughed again and said that we should visit more often.

I love my grandpa.