Grandpa's Weather Report

My grandfather, who is ninety, calls me every morning at seven-fifteen to give me the weather report. He lives four states away. The weather where he lives has no effect on me whatsoever.

"Cloudy with a chance of sunshine later, and the robins are back," he'll say. Or, "Cold as a fish this morning, but the coffee is hot." Sometimes he reports on the squirrel situation in his yard, which is apparently a constant struggle.

I used to find it funny. Now it's the best two minutes of my morning. I make my coffee while he talks and I can picture his kitchen window, the bird feeder, his old flannel robe.

My kids have started asking to talk to him so they can give him our weather. Yesterday my daughter reported, "Sunny, and my tooth is loose." Grandpa said it was the most important forecast he's heard all year.