Third Grade

Third Grade

Everybody called my grandfather the salt of the earth.

I loved him, so I was extremely concerned! Nobody seemed upset when they said it, they smiled! But salt? If he was the salt of the earth, was he going to suddenly disintegrate one day? Was he going the way of salt shaker salt, pouring out in sprinkles everywhere?

We live on a farm, Grampa, my parents, me. When I was old enough, I often went with him because he fed the animals, raked the barn, things like that, and he could watch me. That left Mom and Dad free to run the heavy equipment.

Eventually, I’d decided I was foolish! I realized he couldn’t turn into sprinkles and spread out over the entire earth! There wasn’t enough of him! He’d probably just sprinkle our farm, and other people would sprinkle other places. But when it happened, I still knew I would miss him terribly! So, I spent as much time with him as I could.

I never talked about it. I figured it was one of those things, like going to the doctors, that happened and you had to do it. I wondered if my parents would be the salt of the earth one day, even me eventually. I put it aside in my mind, nothing I could do.

Once in school, I never talked about it, it just lingered in my head. One day I’d find Grampa had turned to salt and I’d miss him terribly, but that was the way of the world.

I finally found out the truth, in third grade. It was explained on a paper we had to read. I was so relieved! I’d never told anyone. But now I’m telling you.

Be careful what you say to kids, they listen, and they don’t forget.