When Almost-Eighty

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I promised never to tell this story, Until my 79th birthday

When almost eighty. 

As my grandchildren gather around the fireplace, 

In the home I have cherished for years, 

Crickets are chirping in the night,

As a distant owl momentarily whistles. 

We lit up the fire as they sat around it, 

Coughing momentarily as the smoke engulfed.

My kins now listening intently. 

One, two, seven, seventy, seventy-nine, I counted them and stopped

when almost eighty

‘Thank you all for coming’. I muttered

and started the story..

It was a cold morning in the theatre that Monday evening, 

Everyone was looking forward to this play,

The first narrator then entered the stage.

Opens the curtains,

Revealing a stage covered by a vast water body,

A woman is walking his son to school. 

Passing by the shores of the gigantic lake, as she hums a tune.

Mother: The faster you walk the sooner we will get to school, and you will have your bread. 

You are walking like a toddler, and you are not that anymore. 

Son: No mom, I am admiring the vastness of these waters. Who built this lake?

Mother: Henry Ford, it’s a man made lake. 

Son: Wow who is that?.. how deep is it?..

she is silent as they approach the school.

Son: Moom, How deep is it??!

Mother: 78 meters of depth.

Son: Whooooooooa! That is really huge.

Mother: Yes, almost eighty…

They entered the school (two majestic boards written Michigan Kindergarten). Mother waves bye as the child jolts to class and disappears. 

Darkness covers the anterior part of the stage as the mother walks briskly by the shores of the lake.  

She comes to her house where she finds two gentlemen standing outside. She hardly recognises them and moves closer. Then smiles broadly. 

Stage lights reveal the two gentlemen coming from the left and walking towards the newly renovated cabin, by the side of the lake. 

Mother: It’s such a pleasure to see you James! It has been such a warm summer but we can’t complain. How are you, my good neighbors?! 

James: All good, I have my friend here visiting from overseas. I would like you to meet him, we wanted to go canoeing on the lake with him. 

Mother: Welcome to the Great Lake State, I have lived here for many years. Almost eighty. 

Frank: It’s such a pleasure to meet you, I come from across the pond. 

Mother: Oh wow! Very warm welcome. That’s a really historic city. Do you like it there?

Frank: Yes I do..thank you so much. (Smiles broadly, grinning as he stetches his hand for a warm handshake)

James: He’s just here for the weekend and we want to maximise our time here. Could we please borrow your canoe, we would like to sail across the Lake. 

Mother: By all means, the winds are a bit strong today but you should be fine.

Mother walks out and the majestic lake is revealed,The two gentlemen are seen struggling to lift the Canoe. They finally drag it inside the lake and look so excited as they hop in. It wobbles back and forth as they gain balance and are finally off. 

James grabs two life jackets and throws them at Frank, he grabs them as he tries to gain balance in front of the canoe and starts to paddle. 

James: Try and paddle ninety degrees, that way we move faster.  

             Btw Can you Swim? 

Frank: Haha, yes but not 100%. Let’s say almost eighty. 

James: Fair enough, that’s okay to keep you afloat in case anything happens. 

Frank: Anything?!

They both laugh as they paddle on. Towards the centre of the lake. The wind is blowing towards their direction making it easy for them to manoeuvre.

A white beam of light follows them across the lake and they are seen laughing, giggling, paddling gently. 

James: This Lake is man-made, built by Henry Ford. If you have money, anything is possible ehehe. 

Frank: Honestly, if he lived long enough he could have built an Ocean!

They both laugh heartily as they paddle. 

Then suddenly..

A strong gust of wind sweeps over, In a split of a second.

Flipping over their Canoe. The two are seen desperately diving into the lake. 

The Canoe is Sinking and moving sideways in the direction of the current, 

They two men are seen gasping for breath as they try to stay afloat. 

Flapping their hands and feet. Panting heavily.

James: Grab your life jacket and breath normally, you will stay afloat!!

Panicking and short of breath, Frank can barely speak or see anything. He is trying to hold on to the Sinking boat. It almost drowns him and he quickly swims to grab the life jacket that was floating nearby. His body is wobbling, teeth grunting as a result of the freezing cold water. He holds on tight to the life jacket that helps him stay afloat. 

James: Great bro, now put it on. We can then swim to the other side of the lake!!

Frank: Okay( Breathing heavily but still catching breath)  Panicking that this might be his very last day as he puts on the jacket. Fluttering his feet to avoid sinking.

‘God please help us’. (He whispers a prayer)

James: Bro breath in….. Out….in….out.  I’ll make sure we make it back to the shore safe. Are you okay?! Are you able to swim?!!

Frank is seen regaining some confidence. He stares at the vastness of the lake and the distance they have to swim and he is overwhelmed. He thinks about his family and decides to summon all his might to swim across, to save his life. 

Frank: Let’s go! I think I can swim now. 

James and Frank Swim for almost three hundred meters and are seen at the other side of the shore of the lake. They touch the ground almost shedding tears, breathing heavily with rigorous chest movements. They lie on the ground and try to regain their normal heartbeat.

James: We made it bro, We made it!!!

What lesson did you learn from the story.

My youngest four year old grand Child interrupts and asks. 

Plese Let Grandpa Finish!! He is not done yet., 

All the grandchildren shout at her!

I then turned to her and said. 

No matter how deep, wide, how vast the challenge is. When everything is at the verge of sinking. Health, Finances, Career… Don’t panic. Stay Calm and ask God for help. You’ll definitely make it to the shore of the Lake. 

Curtains Close..


I was still in my twenties when that happened,

I promised to keep it a secret and only tell it.


When almost eighty

62 thoughts on “When Almost-Eighty”

  1. Collins

    What an amazing way to pass knowledge in a very intressing way, that keeps you desiring to find out what’s next, the wise choice of words, the suspense and the flow is epic. Kudos Sir

    It is an interesting read

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