Watching people fade away is like going on a walk with someone for years at a time. Suddenly on the horizon, there is a ship, a big large scary ship. They keep talking about the ship and they look satisfied at its distance. When I look at the ship, I’m so terrified of it, that I prepare to run for my life. Then I look at the person next to me, who seems happy. Slowly, they extend their hand, asking me to escort them to the large ship. As I look at their eyes, I realize how small the ship is; I can’t even see it. But when I don’t look into that well of lost times anymore, I stare at the heart of the ship. It seems so peaceful and at ease. The water brushes against it creating only subtle noise, as if it’s a paid actor. Its deck is old and abandoned while the colors have washed out to gray. Then I pay a glance at the person next to me…they stare at the deck as if there is a “Welcome” party full of people. I stare at it again but I can’t see anything. Yet, in my grandpa’s eyes, it looks like he saw the best promise made to human nature. 

As he is waving at the imaginary people on the deck, I look away for a second, and to my surprise, my grandpa is running toward the ship. I have never seen him running in my short life, but that run made up for all. With all his power, he pushed the winds in his way reaching the top of the stairs and then looking back. The old man was out of breath and his wrinkly eyes stared back at me with love and sorrow, as if we weren’t going to walk together again tomorrow. Of course, we were; we would go on an endless walk and fight about stupid things like every other day. In the end, we would get to no conclusion and presume to eat my grandma’s specialty of the day. 

I can’t see him from so far away so I get closer to the ship. As I get closer and closer, I realize that the ship is gigantic. I mean look at it, with its stem and bow and keen, it’s trying to mock me. I hate it so much and it’s so horrible for being so tall. I know what the ship wants; it doesn’t want me to look at my grandpa. The more I stare at it the more at ease it seems. I hate that too, all of those acts are calculated evil plans. But I won’t let the ship go away with my grandpa, he is mine. So, I shout for him. And I scream at the top of my lungs. Again. Grandpa! Again. 

“Grandpa! Grandpa! Grandpa! Grandpa! Come back down, you haven’t taken your insulin today, you are going to faint if you don’t come back again at this very moment! You know Grandma will be pissed at you as much as she says you’re annoying. It’s because she loves you! I love you, too! Please, Please, come down! Grandpa, can you hear me? I’m right here, look at me! Look down the ship! I promise Grandpa, if you come I will spend my every day with you, every moment. I promise, I promise, I promise! Just come back down, please! I love you! Look at me, look at me…”

“Grandpa, can we bike together today please?”

“You are too young. You would get hurt.”

“No, I wouldn’t, I know how to bike. It’s easy, the twins taught me!”

“How long did it take you to learn it?”

“Two days!”

“Only two days! My, my! You can do anything, can’t you” 

“Yes, I can! I take after you! So can I come now?”

“Not today. Maybe when you are older.”

“How old?”

“Just a bit. It will pass in a flash don’t worry.”

“What will?”

“Time.”

“Grandpa, please! Just one more time! Don’t you remember? You told me you would bike with me when I’m older! Now I am, I’m very old. So, won’t you come down to bike with me?”

A little shadow appears from the ship and I am sure it is his. I knew it; I knew he wouldn’t go without riding his bike with me.  “He used to be a man of his word” my mom always says.  His presence shocked my bones, yet I couldn’t see him. So I wait for a bit, my impatience growing as I chip away my nail polish. 

“Little Adri, do you remember how I used to say I wish you were a boy? I’ve always liked boys, they are so strong with their muscles and shadow. But as I see here today, you are the only one who came to greet me at the port. None of the boys I toughed how to bike are here. I’m sorry I didn’t bike with you. I will always regret it. Remember when you got me that hat for my birthday? I hated it, yet I wore it every day. It was so uncomfortable and stiff, but it was the one thing that always made me smile. What about the times we pranked your grandma; she hated it. And we just laughed and laughed and laughed at it! I should apologize! For all this time I have been looking at the ship, telling you how great it is, forgetting you can’t come. You know... I’m scared of the ship, too. But it is time. It is the time when the wind stops blowing, the leaves stop dancing and the seconds stop moving. Remember who you are, because you are the bravest, the strongest little girl I have ever had the pleasure of encountering. You filled what was left in me with flowers I didn’t know I needed. I’m sorry for causing you so much pain, but it is time. Time.”

And then the ship went into the sky with full force, but somehow at the speed of a snail. It reached the clouds and then it was gone.