Packing

Flash Fiction

Packing

“Jeff, you need to finish breakfast and get dressed! We have to leave in twenty minutes!”

“Was I supposed to fill my suitcase?” the five-year-old asked.

“No, after you filled it with toys when we went to visit Grampa. I thought I would pack it this time…”

“Grampa loved my toys!”

“Yes, and as nice as it was to have Grampa play toys with you while I went shopping… I wouldn’t have had to go shopping if you had packed some clothes…”

“Oh yeah, I remember now. I packed my mittens, and my sled rope, and that can of cocoa… Are we going to Grampa’s?”

“No, but Grampa is coming with us to where we are going, so you can play with him there.”

“I’ll have to bring some toys!”

“I packed your blocks.”

“Just blocks?” Jeff asked.

“There will be things for you and Gramps to play with there…”

“Like what?”

“You’ll have to wait and see. It’s a surprise from Grampa…”

“For you? Or a surprise for me?”

“Well, I do know where we are going, but the surprise is for all of us. Grampa just told me because I needed to know what to bring in our suitcases.”

“Does Dad know?”

“He might have guessed, but I didn’t tell him. I packed his clothes too.”

“You packed for Dad! Is it because he packs toys too?!”

“Sort of, he does always bring that little pocket game…”

“So that’s why I can only bring blocks?”

“Exactly!”

“Well, I’ll let Dad share too if he wants.”

“That would be nice.”

Jeff never did play with his blocks, nor did Dad, nor Grampa, or Mom, once they arrived. Grampa had brought the whole family to an amusement park! Everybody played there, all day long, even Mom. Life was good.