1 Outside the hospital maple leaves glowed red and gold I watched them through the window and thought It’s strange how leaves are brightest the moment before they fall Come and look I said It’s really pretty I don’t want to look Grandpa thundered I’m not allowed out I was visiting him in hospital all by myself I’d been there lots of times with Dad So I knew how to get there First you take the subway Then you catch a red bus and get off when you see the church on the hill to your left 1
It wasn’t hard Dad didn’t often want to go because Grandpa was difficult He always had been but now he was worse than ever He got angry and shouted He spat out the pills that could make him nice and calm And he yelled at the nurses I’m shut in here like an animal he shouted What do you think I am An ape His face turned bright red and he swore so Dad and I had to cover our ears Dad thought I didn’t need any more swear words than the ones I already knew I disagreed I liked it when Grandpa got angry It made life a bit more exciting But it made Dad tired and sad He felt awful seeing his strong fat father lying there getting weaker and thinner That’s why he didn’t like going to visit 2
