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The Last Time I Saw The Both Of You Together

Dear Johnny,

It’s your father. I saw you working on your little writing project with grandpa the other day and I thought it would be neat if I wrote something from my point of view too, seeing as I’m the one that split you two apart for a few years.

Back then, both of you were the best of pals. You both always enjoyed each other’s company and I was so happy that grandpa got to spend a lot of time with you and watch you grow as a little boy. I would always get jealous when I had to leave you and grandpa for work, it was never easy. I heard that he used to take you out for lunch to places where my grandpa used to take me. Back then, I could leave you on your own the whole day and still find you safe and sound somewhere in the neighborhood after getting off work. Your grandpa was always by your side at that time and he was always looking after you, even if you were too young to know.

I’m sorry I had to take you away without telling you. You were too young then and you would’ve definitely cried during the whole trip and I didn’t want to break your heart. Your grandpa knew about it months ahead so he knew that day would come. I had to take you and your mother with me to China because I had to be there for a few years due to some business I had there. The trips back and forth between here and China were starting to take a toll on me and I couldn’t bare only seeing you and your mother for a few days each month. It broke my heart when I came back one day and you couldn’t remember who I was for awhile. I told your mother I was either gonna take you all with me or quit my job. Now, I would’ve taken your grandpa and grandma to China too but they have other grandkids to stay at home for too. It wouldn’t be fair to your cousins if I took grandpa away with me, wouldn’t it? Even though the both of you were separated for a few years, I don’t regret taking you to China at all. An opportunity like that didn’t come often and living there made you an outgoing and smart boy with the ability to speak multiple languages fluently. Life in China made you a citizen of the world and now you’re equipped to apply your skills as an adult. Besides, you’ll thank me later when you’re older. Whenever I came back to deal with business back home, your grandpa would always ask for pictures of you. He wanted to see how his little champ was growing up and he was happy to know that you were safe at all times. I know he’s a little older now but don’t let that man fool you, he can still run miles around the both of us if he wanted to and I’m still dreading the day he asks us to hike with him and his buddies. Now that we’re back home for good, I hope you’re glad we’re moving back with grandpa and grandma. You and grandpa can continue where you both left off and becomes best of friends again. I love you buddy and I’m so glad we get to spend more time with grandpa together from now on.

Credits:

https://www.liveabout.com/chinese-name-for-grandfather-1695411

https://www.verywellfamily.com/grandparents-and-grandchildren-keeping-them-close-1695871

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The Last Time I Saw Grandpa

Dear grandpa,

Thanks for writing me that sweet letter for my school project! My teacher loved it and I even got a prize for my project, so I owe you one! As you requested, here’s my response to the letter you wrote me, I hope you like it! P.S. Show it to grandma too, maybe she’ll shed a tear.

The last time I saw you was when I was five years old. I was just learning to comprehend stuff so I remember most of what I did with you. I remember waking up on your lap like I always did during breakfast. You would feed me my breakfast because I was always too tired to get up in the morning but I clearly remember the smell of coffee alone was able to wake me up, which may explain the reason behind my love for coffee nowadays. When I last saw you grandpa, you had dark brown hair and you stood so tall, almost like a giant whenever I stood next to you and looked up. You would always carry me around the house if you were home and we would spend time watching the news together. While dad and mom went to work, you would always take me out to the hawker centres nearby our house to try different types of food. The people around the neighbourhood always knew our names and treated us so well, it was a beautiful feeling to be in such a loving community. Everytime we went to the hawkers stall nearby, you would get your cup of hot coffee, I would get iced Milo and I would always spend too long trying to decide what to eat and you would always end up picking something for me instead. Life was so simple then and I wish I was able to take a time machine back home to relive those moments with you, I think I would’ve appreciated the feeling of a community much more. The prices of food back then would’ve also made us smile. Now that I got to see you again after so long, it makes me sad whenever I think of all the times we could have spent together. In my head, you’re still the big tall grandpa with sleek brown hair. Everytime I see you with your full head of grey hair, I tear up a little because I can’t go back to the past and spend time with you. I’m just glad that you’re still able to stay healthy by playing some golf and swimming. Maybe when you’re free, we’ll go to the driving range one day and you could give me pointers on how to swing properly.

I still sort of remember the day we left you and grandma. I took my afternoon nap and the next thing I knew, I was on the plane on the way to China with mum and dad. I didn’t even get to say bye to you and grandma but I could understand why mum and dad kept it from me. I felt horrible for not being able to say goodbye but at least you and grandma are moving back in with us! I’m excited to spend every breakfast with you two, just like old times! Maybe next time, I’ll take us all out for breakfast and we could go visit all the old places we used to eat at during lunch time, I already found a few places we used to go to on the way here. I love you grandpa, and I’m so glad that I’m finally able to spend time with you and grandma again.

Credits:

http://www.vkeong.com/location/malaysia/selangor/klang/chong-kok-kopitiam-klang/

http://www.penang.ws/penang-top-10s/5-penang-kopitiam.htm

https://sg.openrice.com/en/singapore/review/yy-kopitiam-e67375

[ibelookinlikeasnacc-blog]

The Last Time I Saw My Grandson

Dear Johnny,

Here’s the letter you needed me to write and address to you for your school project, it’s nice to be able to write with pen and paper again after so long. And sorry if you had to type this out again, you know I’m no good with computers like you.

The last time I saw you, we were at your father’s old house near the train station that was under construction. If I remember correctly, you were around 5 or 6 years old at that time. You were just a tiny little boy then, you were so precious. You had such big and round eyes and your smile could light up a room. Your laugh was contagious and everyone in the neighbourhood knew you because of it. I remember when you were starting to speak in full sentences, you learned everything so quick. You would always come down the stairs in the morning looking tired, and you would come give me a hug and napped in my lap while everyone else had breakfast. The smell of coffee brewing would wake you up and you would say “Grandpa, how did I get here? Good morning!”. That would always put a smile on my face. You had such a good appetite too, every morning you would always have two pieces of bread, a glass of water, a whole apple and two eggs. I sure hope you still eat that much, I hear that you like to do sports so you need to have lots of food as fuel. Now, you’re standing tall like a man at 21 years old. And you even came by to see Ma and I in your very own car! If there’s anything to hope for, I sure hope you don’t drive like your father and if you need pointers on the wheel, you know who to call. It’s so nice to see how much you have grown. You are still a good kid who listens to his parents, you speak so many new languages now after you came back from China, it’s hard to imagine you only speaking English when you were a little boy living with me. You even have a job now and you pay your own bills, your mother and father must be so proud of you, I know I am!

I remember the day that you were leaving me to go to China. It was a Saturday afternoon, your mother was still busy packing your bags while your father was moving them into the car. You were sitting on my lap while we had lunch. You and I shared a chicken sandwich with mac and cheese from your favorite spot just a block away. You had no clue about moving to another country, you were too young to know that you were not gonna see me for awhile. After eating, you fell asleep on the couch for your afternoon nap. I picked you up and put you in the car with your parents and off you went. I still remember being worried for you. Living a new life in a foreign country is never easy but I somehow knew you would do just fine. I’m so proud of you, it’s good to know that you’ve grown up to be such an independent young man. Now that Ma and I are moving back with you and your parents, I’m glad that we’ll be able to have our breakfasts together again like old times. Though I’m sure you’re too big now to sit on your grandfather’s lap, right champ?

Credits:

https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/01/travel/in-singapore-drinking-in-the-kopitiam-experience.html