The Visitor



It was just another average boring day in the Blake household. Dad had left early for work and Mum was stressed out trying to get all us kids ready for school. With a mouthful of toast, as well as trying to get my younger brothers ready, she screamed at me to get dressed. I didn't want to go to school, not today anyway, I knew the teacher had another boring spelling test planned and I hated spelling tests. I begged and pleaded with her to let me stay at home but all my pleas were in vain as she gave me that look which I knew meant she was being deadly serious.

"Kate will you please hurry up," my Mum shouted, "we have to leave in ten minutes."

Rather reluctantly and with a bit of huffing and puffing I managed to get dressed and eventually we were on our way. We had to drop my twin brothers off at nursery school first, I was so jealous, they got to play with toys all day and sing nursery rhymes, not like me having to do spelling tests. After dropping off my brothers we arrived at Waterdale primary school. My Mum dropped me off at the gates and waved me goodbye and sure enough when I went into class there was my teacher Mr.Roberts waiting with a spelling test ready in his hand. I sighed to myself, it was going to be a very long day today. I was right it seemed like an eternity until the ell rung telling me it was home time. I picked up my school bag and raced out of the door to where my Mum was waiting in the car, my brothers causing chaos in the back seat.

"There's someone waiting for you at home." said my Mum.

"Who, who?" I asked, desperately wanting to know, the curiosity eating me up inside.

"Well you will have to wait and see won't you,"

I couldn't wait to get home and see who was there I was almost bursting with anticipation, was it Grandma, or maybe Uncle John or even cousin Lucy, I hadn't seen her in ages and I remember her being such great fun.

When we finally arrived back home I flew from the car and barged through the front door dying to see who was there. My heart sank, hit the floor like a stone. There sat in the armchair was a very old frail looking man who had big thick round glasses and white wispy hair, he looked no fun at all. He looked as though he could hardly move.

"This is your Grandpa Joe, your Dad's Dad." said my Mum.

"Hi Kate," he said, his voice sounded very old and a bit shaky too.

"Hi," I said not really paying any attention to him.

I was still disappointed that it wasn't anyone fun, someone I could play with. When you have two brothers that can't do much it gets rather boring, I may as well be an only child.

We sat down to eat dinner and I noticed that Mum had got the best plates out, she only did that on special occasions. We had roast beef with lots of roasted vegetables and a Yorkshire pudding the size of your head and all smothered in thick brown gravy. Grandpa Joe however got more on his clothes than he ate, he even managed to get it in his hair, the twins made less mess than he did. For dessert Mum had made the most spectacular looking strawberry trifle in a huge glass bowl. You could see all the juicy red strawberries and the thick layers of custard and cream. Yet again Grandpa Joe got more on him, not only in his hair but all over his glasses too. When we had all finished eating Grandpa Joe went and sat back down in the armchair and looked like he was going to fall asleep. He was not the surprise guest that I had hoped for and I went to change the channel on the television when all of a sudden Grandpa Joe sprung into life.

"Come here Kate, I want to tell you some stories from when I was a soldier." he said.

I didn't want to hear his boring old stories, I just wanted to watch some cartoons but Mum had always taught me to be polite, especially to old people so I went and sat down next to him, I wasn't looking forward to this not one bit.

Grandpa Joe began to tell me his stories and before I even knew it I was hooked. Hanging on his every word. He told me all about how he used to drive an ammunition lorry which would be full of guns and bullets and sometimes even bombs that he would transport from place to place. He told me how he was a bit of a rascal and used to get in trouble with the Sargent Major and how he used to steal bread and jam from the kitchen and hide it in his lorry. It was fascinating listening to him maybe he wasn't so dull and boring after all. He told me how one time as a punishment the Sargent Major had given him a bucket covered in rust and said that he wanted to see his face in it by morning. Instead of doing what he was told to do he went and got a new bucket from the store and gave that to the Sargent Major passing it off as his own. I couldn't stop laughing it was so funny tears streamed down my cheeks and my sides hurt from laughing so hard. I could have sit and listen to Grandpa Joe all night but soon my Mum came an told me it was time for bed, she said that I didn't have to go to school tomorrow as Grandpa Joe was going back home and we should see him off. I went to bed that night with all of Grandpa Joe's stories racing around my head, I didn't sleep much I kept thinking about all the things Grandpa Joe had told me. I could picture myself as a soldier just like him, getting into trouble with the Sargent Major. It was safe to say that Grandpa Joe had infected my young mind and had made a lasting impression.

I never forgot about Grandpa Joe and had wanted to be a soldier from that day on and I did. Grandpa Joe's words stayed with me throughout my childhood and influenced my future choices. He inspired me so much that today I am a soldier and it's all thanks to him. At first I didn't ant to meet him or listen to his stories but I'm glad I did because he changed my lie for the better. It just goes to show that things aren't always as they seem to be.

THE END.