Chocolates For Great-Grandpa: Even 98 Year-Olds Have Trouble Sharing

Izzy and I went to visit Great-Grandpa yesterday. Beforehand, I called to let him know that we would be arriving after lunch, with some Parisian chocolates in hand. I could here his smile in anticipation of our visit and the treat. Any promise of chocolate puts Great-Grandpa in good spirits since he is a confirmed chocoloholic.

Upon our arrival, we handed him his box of Jadis et Gourmande chocolates. He promptly put the box aside instead of immediately opening them as I had secretly hoped.

We busied ourselves with chit-chat until Izzy started asking for snacks. He then kept motioning toward the chocolate box but Great-Grandpa pretended not to notice. Then he said that the chocolates were his gift and that Izzy couldn't have any. I thought it must be a joke but he insisted that they were his chocolates and he wouldn't be sharing them.

Izzy was decidedly peeved that he wasn't going to sample any of the chocolates and I am sure he was surprised that Great-Grandpa wouldn't give in. Luck would have it that there was a bowl of lovely cherries in the fridge which calmed Izzy's craving for a while. Then we all settled in on the couch to watch some of Fiddler on the Roof. Every now and then, Izzy would look longingly over at the box of chocolates and I had to shake my head no.

Before the movie was over it was time for us to leave, and still no chocolates were forthcoming. As we were gathering our belongings and just about to open the door, Great-Grandpa says, "Would you like to try the chocolates now?" Was that his ploy all along? The sure-fire way to prolong our visit? Well it certainly worked. We ceremoniously opened the box and each got to have one chocolate, before rushing out the door to catch our train.

Tonight, when I spoke to Great-Grandpa, I asked if he had eaten any more of the chocolates. His reply, "No, I am saving them. It isn't every day that I get chocolates from Paris." Indeed not so I hope they don't end up blooming in his cabinets like some American chocolates I have seen.