She’d lived with her widowed grandfather since she was orphaned at twelve. He proudly walked her down the aisle when she married. Every year since, she’d returned to the cabin to spend his birthday week with him. They watched movies on VHS tapes. His favorites were the old ones starring Cary Grant, Spencer Tracey, or John Wayne.
This year, she’d brought the Harry Potter series on VHS tapes. They were twenty minutes into the first one when he complained loudly. “Wizards? This is ridiculous!”
She started to ask, “What does it matter that . . .”
“The stars we see are already dead. The ones we always watch. They’re in plots you can understand,” he harrumphed. “I’m gettin’ a beer and goin’ out to watch the moon. Seein’ a man up there is more real than this!”
She smiled, “Okay, Gramps. You win. I’m coming too.”
Written for Prosery Monday at dVerse, the virtual pub for poets around the globe. Today Dora is hosting and introduces us to Amy Woolard. She asks us to include the line “What does it matter that the stars we see are already dead” from Woolard’s poem, Laura Palmer Graduates, in our post.
Prosery was invented by dVerse: one line of poetry is provided and we must include that line, word for word, within a piece of prose/flash fiction that is 144 words or less (sans title). It’s the one type of prompt on dVesre, that does not involve writing poetry.
Image created in Bing Create.
lillian the home poet 
Oh I loved your clever use of the prompt, Lillian! Gramps may be set in his ways, but their tender relationship comes across so wonderfully.
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I liked reading your neat story. I don’t blame Grandpa, I would go out too but not watching the moon very long. I tried Mr. Bing and his associate, Ms. AI for a picture of a young lady with an older man. Bad, bad, I won’t use the ones they tried. Most of the ladies were the old man’s age no matter what I did. Finally they went young, but she looks like a 17yearold to match my 82 year old man. Bad, bad.
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I love your generation gap story! What a sweet girl to spend time with her grandpa.
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Lillian, cute story with an affectionate bond between grandpa and granddaughter. I had that kind of connection with my grandma (even though my cousin was her favorite.)
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A heartwarming story for sure…thanks, Lillian, for introducing us to Gramps and his dear granddaughter 🙂
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A heart-warming and positive Prosery, Lill, which reminded me of my own grandad; we used to watch old films together, albeit on television – we didn’t have VHS tapes then.
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Ha ha ha! I must admit I have never watched a Harry Potter movie all the way through yet! I keep falling asleep. So I’m with Gramps on this one, the old movies are way better!
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Ha, but at least some of the wizards were new stars being born. Love your take on this.
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Oh this is SO Fabulous–I needed a heart-chuckle today, thank you!
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I love the double meaning on stars that you create here. The idea of what is fake and what is real being more a matter of perception.
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Such a lovely story, Lillian, and I enjoyed your clever take on the prompt! Their special relationship comes through. 💙
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I love your take on this one, Lillian! They have a great bond between them even though they don’t share similar interests 🥰🥰
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I thoroughly enjoyed this Lillian, and Gramps is someone I’d like, I’d go sit outside with him too.
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