It was Grandfather’s birthday. He was 79. He got up early, shaved, showered, combed his hair and put on his Sunday best so he would look nice when they came.

He skipped his daily walk to the town cafe where he had coffee with his cronies. He wanted to be home when they came.

He put his porch chair on the sidewalk so he could get a better view of the street when they drove up to help celebrate his birthday.

At noon, he got tired but decided to forgo his nap so he could be there when they came. Most of the rest of the afternoon he spent near the telephone so he could answer it when they called.

He has five married children, thirteen grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. One son and a daughter live within ten miles of his place. They hadn’t visited him for a long time.

But today was his birthday and they were sure to come.

At suppertime, he left the cake untouched so they could cut it and have dessert with him. After supper, he sat on the porch waiting.

At 8:30, he went to his room to prepare for bed. Before retiring, he left a note on the door that read:

“Be sure to wake me when you come.”

It was Grandfather’s Birthday. He was 79.

–Rudy Joe Mano

I found this in my folder of “good things” but without an author.   Of course, Google promptly supplied one.  It was first published in Ann Landers’ column in 1985 and became one of the column’s most requested reruns.