Grandpa+Joe's+Banjo

Skye Larson 3/4B Grandpa Joe’s Banjo I always knew grandpa Joe was an odd old man, but I never knew he would become this unusual. Ever since grandpa bought that old banjo at the Robinson’s’ garage sale, he hasn’t put it down! Every day, every night grandpa plays an ancient folk tune that no one’s even heard of but no one has the heart to say anything about it. One day, I couldn’t stand it anymore. I walked right up to him and said, “Grandpa Joe, would you put that banjo down? I am trying to do my homework.” “NO, MARIE.” He replied and being his own immature self, he stuck out his tongue at me and played the only song he knows over and over again. I couldn’t focus on my homework so I told him again to stop playing. Once again, he refused and stuck out his pink tongue and played louder! I decided to let it pass. He’s a seventy-nine year old man so ignore him, I thought to myself. I walked outside and sat on the steps to focus on my work and do you know what that insane old man did? HE WENT ON THE PORCH. Grandpa Joe was standing on the porch playing the one and only song and //staring// at me with a smirk. That was it. All of my patience must have been drained out of me at that very moment because I yanked that door opened, and walked up to grandpa Joe. He stopped playing and glared at me. I glared back at him with my chestnut brown eyes, took a deep breath and yelled, “IF YOU DON’T STOP PLAYING I’LL THROW YOUR STUPID BANJO OUT THE WINDOW.” And with that, I opened the screen door and slammed it behind me, sitting back on the steps again. It was nice to finally hear some peace and quiet… for five seconds! Grandpa Joe strummed that banjo with his wrinkly fingers harder then ever! My tan face turned red. I swear steam was coming out of my ears! I stomped into that room, opened the window, snatched the banjo from grandpa Joe, and hurled that thing out the window and into the big pond outside the house. I looked back at grandpa Joe; I was scared and excited to see his reaction. He looked like a rotten tomato. His nostrils flared, his fists clenched together, his face grew red and he had a huge frown. He ran towards me, and I flinched. Surprisingly he picked me up and //threw me out the window into the lake!// I didn’t think the man had the strength in him to pick up an eighty-four pound girl! The next day, I decided to forgive grandpa Joe for throwing me into the lake. I threw his banjo into the lake and now I would never have to hear that awful sound again. I walked into the kitchen with my pink fluffy robe and slippers and I poured myself a bowl of Frosted Flakes. Grandpa walked in. “Grandpa, I’m really sorry for throwing your banjo in the lake but I couldn’t stand it!” I said. “Oh it’s okay, Marie. You know the sale the Kronings just had?” Grandpa replied with a grin on his face. “Um yeah?” I bit my lip and crossed my fingers that he didn’t find another banjo. “They sold me this for free!” Grandpa pulled a harmonica from behind his back and held it high. “I even learned a new song instead of that old one!” I held my breath and my stomach turned. A harmonica can’t be as bad as a banjo, I thought to myself hopefully. Grandpa slowly lifted the metal instrument up to his mouth and started playing “Old Susanna”. I breathed a sigh of relief. “Old Susanna”, my favorite song of all time! Later, grandpa and I went to the store and bought me a harmonica. We played “Old Susanna” for hours and neither of my parents said anything. This was much better than the banjo.