The Roof and The Interest.
When Grandpa asks for help- you help. He said the barn roof needed fixing, so at least you had to try.
That's how Grofo saw it. Roman, however, had other ideas. He did everything he could to dodge responsibility, proclaiming that he just wasn't in the mood for work today. No matter how much his older brother tried to talk him into it, he couldn't break through Roman's wall of dramatic sobs.
And Grandpa? He just sat next to the low barn on a chair, puffing his pipe and hiding his knowing smile behind clouds of smoke. The family patriarch was fully aware that his request would go unfulfilled, but he also knew how much the boys loved climbing up onto that roof and lying there in the sunshine.
He couldn't very well let them do it openly- their grandma, also known as the boys' fearsome warden, would've put a stop to it. But helping with a roof emergency? Well, that was a different story. Grandpa was quite proud of his little scheme, actually.
Grofo, meanwhile, was still trying to convince his brother, passionately appealing to his nonexistent sense of duty. But he was too kind to push anyone for long- especially the eternal martyr that was Roman. At the first chance he got, Roman would fire up his miniature engine of tears, snot, and emotional manipulation, and Grofo always fell for it.
Everyone knew Roman was a master of excuses, firing up his imagination whenever anyone asked him to lift a finger. At some point, Grofo got tired of hearing about the pain in the pinkie of his right hand's left side or whatever, and just laced his fingers behind his head and lay down on the flat roof.
He'd shoveled the snow off beforehand, so now he could enjoy a well - deserved nap. Roman had finally shut up, and Grofo was just thinking how smart he'd been to wear thermal underwear and two sweaters- it wasn't cold at all. His massive parka looked more like a tent, big enough for a small person to hide inside.
Yeah, Grofo was short. And he knew he probably wasn't gonna grow into a giant. None of his relatives were tall. But he'd always seen it as an advantage. His curiosity knew no bounds- sometimes unacceptably so- and thanks to his small size and agility, he could slip into places where others just wouldn't fit.
And man, could he run. Or dodge. That was his real superpower.
Which is exactly what he did when a heavy snowball came flying his way- barely missing his left cheek. He jerked his head up and waved off Roman's shriek:
Someone's trying to kill us!
Then he looked down.
There was Suzy- his best friend in the entire world. She was the only one who didn't get annoyed by his antics and laughed at all his jokes. Normally she walked around with a permanent scowl, but somehow Grofo always managed to cheer her up- without even trying.
Maybe that was his gift? When he got older and moved to the city, maybe he could try stand - up comedy in bars. Then on to stadiums! You had to dream big.
Suzy scooped up another handful of snow, packed it tightly, and aimed again- but Grofo jumped to his feet and shouted:
Okay, okay, I'm up! Don't throw it! I'm coming
First, he helped Roman down, carefully. Then he hopped off himself without even using the railing. His legs were full of bounce and speed- at least that's what he liked to think.
Grofo, she's got something to tell you! Something special happened today… - said Suzy, looking nothing like her usual self. Normally cool and distant, today she was clearly shaken. Well, don't keep me You look like someone invited you to build sandcastles without sand. Oh, if only… - Susanna sighed dreamily, flashing a wide grin that caught Grofo totally off Wait, what? Suzy joking? What the heck happened to her?
She'd obviously run all the way here- she was out of breath, her face flushed, her breathing uneven. She looked pale and totally exhausted.
Roman bounced excitedly in place and screeched:
I want to hear it! Come on, tell us!
If Grofo really wanted to be tougher, he could've easily smacked his little bro on the back of the head. But he didn't wanna be some aggressive jerk, so he knew when to stop and leave the little tornado alone. He caught sight of Grandpa giving him a big ol' thumbs - up, clearly proud of the older grandson's self - control.
Gramps, by the way, looked like he was in for a good story too. He lit up his pipe again and got real comfy in his favorite chair.
Alright… ..
Now, anyone else would've called this story total nonsense - except Grofo. He thought it was a load of bull, sure, and even gave a skeptical little hmpf to himself. But he didn't let it show. Just rubbed his chin thoughtfully and wiped Roman's nose while the guy stared wide - eyed and sniffling like a drama queen.
Roman and Grandpa, though? Totally blown away by the story. The old man even nodded sagely and said:
Legends never And today, Susanna saw the truth with her own eyes.
For real, Grandpa! - Roman squealed, and then plopped right down into the snow like his legs gave out from - I really hope we're not going there, right? That place sounds dangerous! What if the ghost gets freaked out again - but this time by us? He could totally go nuts! And what are we going to do then, huh? I don't even know how to fight! He'll wreck me! And I don't have any silver weapons! I'm doomed!
Grofo burst out laughing and gave the scaredy - cat a pat on the head. Then he turned to Suzy.
You feeling okay? No more pain? How's your head?
Thanks, I'm - Suzy nodded. On her way home, everything had been spinning and doubling in her vision, and her brain felt like it was humming with static. But somewhere along the walk, her mind had cleared, and she could finally think straight. Good to hear… Still, you should tell your mom. Maybe she'll give you some pills or something. - Grofo looked genuinely worried for She was awesome, even if she had her quirks. Like how she sometimes talked about herself in the third person. But he was used to that. Suzy was Suzy - and she could act however she damn well pleased.