The Bird Watching Trip

The Bird Watching Trip

“Jacob, you wrap it carefully…like so.”
My grandpa knew everything there was to know about birds. He taught me about how to mend a wing and about their environments. We took walks in the woods, and he pointed out birds: robins, wrens, and blue birds, if we were lucky. Whenever the nearby farmers came upon an injured bird, they brought it directly to my grandfather. They knew that he would be able to set that bird to flight again. I can remember many times when he said to me that he wished that he could fly like the birds. We both knew that dream would not come true.
One day Grandfather was too ill to go on our daily bird watching trip, so I walked on back into town. Everyone was talking about the big show that was coming to town in a few weeks. When I was going into the drugstore, a poster caught my eye. In big letters, it said, “Fly like the birds in a hot air balloon! For only $1.00. That sign gave me an idea.
I went back to my Grandfather’s house to check on him. His skin had a grayish tone to it. I asked him how he was feeling.
“Fine,” he whispered.
He had energy to speak. Since it was lunchtime, I went to the kitchen and fixed him some soup for lunch.
As I left for home I knew that Grandfather would not be with me much longer. I had to give him something to thank him for all that he had taught me. I needed money-fast, but how?
The next morning I asked Mr. Greene, my next door neighbor if I could earn some money working for him.
“I need to raise money fast, Mr. Greene, so I’ll only need to work for about a week.”
“Why do you need money?” Mr. Greene asked.
“I’m getting a gift for my grandfather,” I answered.
“The bird watcher, replied Mr. Greene. “Well, a boy your size can’t do much for a man like me, but I’m sure I can find something for you. Come to see me at 8: oo tomorrow.”
Next I went to the General Store and asked for a job. I knew Mr. Brown, and he gave me a job on the spot for fifty cents an hour. I worked for two hours, and I got a dollar. I put the money in an old pickle jar.
My father told me that Grandfather probably wouldn’t last until the end of the month. He said that Grandfather’s days were numbered.
That whole week I worked very hard. Mr. Greene gave me twenty five cents for every hour I worked, and I got more money from Mr. Brown. Finally I had enough money in my pickle jar. My hard work had paid off.
The next day I got grandfather’s wheelchair, and my dad gave us a ride into town where we found the hot air balloons. I bought Grandfather some cotton candy for our balloon trip.
“Jacob, where are we going?” He asked.
“We are going bird watching.” I said.
Grandfather shook his head.
“Jacob, you know I can’t walk a step. The doctor gave me this wheelchair so I could get around.”
“Who says we’re walking?” I said as I pointed to the huge balloon.
His mouth opened and his eyes widened.
“It’s beautiful, but Jacob, I didn’t bring any money.”
“Don’t worry. I have it all taken care of.”
“I’ll be waiting on the ground for you kids,” my dad said with a smile.
I gave my pickle jar to the man controlling the balloon. It jingled as he unscrewed the lid and grinned at my grandfather and me. We had some trouble getting my grandfather into the balloon, but that couldn’t stop us.
When we were finally in our position inside, the balloon roared as it ascended. As we got higher, Grandfather’s smile got bigger and bigger. He began pointing out the birds all over the place… some I didn’t even see. Grandfather seemed like himself again in that balloon.
When we got back on the ground, I saw a tear run down his face, but he was happy. He had been able to go bird watching for one last time, and this time, he had been right up there with the birds on display.