That day after work, I finally decided to drop by and visit my grandfather. It hit me that I hadn't seen him in over a month, and I felt a sharp pang of guilt. I ducked into the grocery store to grab a bottle of bourbon and some beef jerky—the old man always loved a little glass and a salty snack to unwind. But before I could even make it through the front gate, his neighbor cornered me.
"Hello, Chloe!" she chirped, though her smile didn't reach her eyes. "You know, your grandfather has been acting very strange lately. Quite scandalous, if you ask me."
Great. Why was that old bat always lying in wait for me? I couldn't stand her.
"Mrs. Gable," I said, trying to keep my voice level despite how much her name alone grated on me. "What happened? Just tell me calmly."
"You're a rare guest around here, so you wouldn't notice. But I'm right next door; I see everything. Oh, if poor Linda could see this, she'd be turning in her grave!"
"Mrs. Gable, leave my grandmother out of this. Let her rest in peace. Now, please, just tell me what's actually going on."
"Your grandfather has organized... a dating club!"
She had to be losing it. My grandfather was well into his seventies. He'd been a widower for five years, living a quiet life and occasionally grabbing coffee with his fellow retired buddies. Sure, he had his quirks, but a dating club?
"I think you've confused him with someone else," I said, looking at her with genuine pity.
"My dear child, you're far too young to understand the world. I read the flyers posted on the telephone poles around the neighborhood. Apparently, 'cultured gentlemen of a certain age' are hosting evenings for 'lonely hearts.' They invite elderly ladies over, offering them—how shall I put this—their company. And your grandfather's address and phone number are listed right there. He's not the only one, either. The whole gang is in on it! Mr. Miller from the second floor, Mr. Thompson from apartment 4B. And that other one... I forget his name, the old man from the next building over," she listed off. "It seems those old geezers decided they needed women in their lives after all!"
Mrs. Gable was practically boiling over with righteous indignation. I was stunned by her outburst, but I decided to get all the facts before I let the old gossip have it.
"And? Do the ladies actually show up?"
"The door is practically a revolving rack," she sneered, her face contorting in a mix of pure disgust and thinly veiled envy. "It's a disgrace! They've made laughingstocks of themselves."
"And why exactly does this bother you so much? Maybe you wanted to join their little parties but didn't get an invite? Is that it, Mrs. Gable?" I wasn't about to let this nasty woman tear my grandfather down.
"I won't be insulted!" she shrieked, her face turning a deep shade of red. "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, I see!" With that, she spun around and vanished into her house.
"Miserable gossip," I muttered under my breath, heading up the stairs.
***
Just as I reached my grandfather's door, I bumped into an elegant, well-dressed woman coming out. I watched her leave with a look of pure confusion before heading inside.
"Grandpa, it's me!" I called out from the hallway. "I ran into Mrs. Gable, and she told me you've started some kind of dating club. Can you believe the nerve of that liar?"
"She wasn't lying this time," he called back.
"What? But why on earth would you do that?"
"I'm alone all the time, honey. You guys only visit on holidays. Now, don't look like that—it's not a lecture, I know you have your own life. But I'm not ready to kick the bucket just yet. I want to actually live. So, the boys and I decided to find ourselves some lady friends. The experiment was a total success!"
"So... what happens now?"
"Well, I think I might just get married one last time," he sang out in a raspy, cheerful voice, mimicking an old show tune.
"Well, Grandpa, you've still got it! I'm proud of you."
"Just don't tell your parents yet. They'll just come over and give me a hard time. Besides, I haven't quite decided which of the three I like best!"
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