1961
Timothy was visiting for the weekend. Every time she saw him he appeared to have grown. He looked as if he maybe taller than his father. When they arrived, she could not resist the urge to tease Patrick.
"You are going to be looking down at him soon."
"Perhaps but I'll still be telling him what's what."
"That's because I won't be stunting my growth with poison."
"Stunting your growth?" Patrick questioned.
"By smoking."
"Don't start with that I made you a promise."
Granny who had been watching that exchange asked, "What promise?"
"He convinced me to give up smoking...both of us."
"Really. Well isn't that marvelous! Timothy however did manage that?" she asked.
"He can tell you the whole story. Watch out for him he is tricky...but I must be off. Tim, be good."
"Patrick, he is always good for me."
"Tell me this story in the kitchen. I made cake."
"Smashing!"
"Did you say they both quit? I did not know Shelagh was a smoker."
"She only smoked a few, not like Dad who smoked constantly."
"Yes, he did enjoy them. Did you notice he never smoked in my house?"
"What? Oh! How did I miss that? Granny, you really boss him about... I forget you are not his Mum."
"I feel like I am...now on with your story."
"Doctors are discovering that smoking is really horrible. Even knowing that, he went on smoking. So I tried some Freud."
"Freud?"
"Reverse psychology."
"Reverse what? Timothy you are too smart for your old Granny."
"Granny, you are not old. Reverse psychology is when you tell someone one thing to get them to do something else. So if I wanted more cake, I would say 'your cake is delicious, could I have a large slice' and you would say 'just one small piece' and then I would have more cake."
"Why not just ask for another piece?"
"Well that was an example."
"So what did you tell your father?"
"Simple, I just made sure he caught me lighting up."
"You what?"
"I was caught smoking," he smiled.
"And what did your father do?"
"Oh, he was quite angry," Timothy said calmly.
"And?"
"And later he apologized and said he was giving them up," Timothy smiled.
"Has he really?"
"Yes, he has. They both have."
"Well done Timothy. Well done...so have you used this reverse…"
"psychology."
"Reverse psychology on me?"
Granny, you give me anything I want. There is no need."
"You are a smart one. You are going to keep your father on his toes."
"How about I show you how smart I am at cribbage?"
"Am I going to regret teaching you that game?"
"I thought you already had."
Later the doorbell rang, Granny answered the door to find her sister Betty.
"Hello Betty. This is a surprise."
"I just thought I would stop by. You are alone too much."
"I keep myself more than occupied. In fact I have company."
"Whoever is here?" she asked looking around.
Just then Timothy came down the stairs and said, "Oh hello."
"Timothy dear do you remember my sister, your Auntie?"
"Oh yes."
"My Timothy, you have grown," Betty said.
"He has. He will soon be taller than his father," Granny responded.
"Well yes."
"Betty would you like to stay and have dinner with us."
"Oh no, I couldn't. How about a cuppa and then I'll be off."
"Are you sure you will not be too lonely?" Granny asked.
"Me? No I always have family stopping by,"Betty answered.
"Perhaps they are concerned that you are alone too much."
"No. They enjoy their visits," Betty answered.
Granny smiled and said, "That's nice. Now Timothy just spent the afternoon winning at cribbage."
"Your Granny is quite a player, I always lose to her."
"I guess I am lucky," Timothy said.
"You are very lucky love," Granny added.
After Betty left, Timothy asked, "Granny did you just use reverse psychology on Auntie?"
"Whatever could you mean."
"You asked her to stay for a long visit and she chose a short one."
"Well she would have linger if I did not let her know that we had dinner planned."
"What if she said 'yes' to your invitation?"
"I knew that she likes her dinner earlier."
"Why did you not want her to stay?"
"Because love this is my time with you and I don't like to share you," she smiled and Tim smiled back.
"Granny are you lonely?"
"No dear. I live alone, but I have a busy life. I have my church activities and bridge and luncheons with friends. I keep quite busy."
"When I visit during school holidays you do not do any of those things."
"That is true, but only because I would rather be with you."
The next day when Patrick came for Timothy, Granny frowned at him.
"What did I do?" he asked like a child being scolded.
"You came alone."
"Talk to Shelagh about that she said it was nap time. I would have brought them both for you."
"Alright I'll forgive you. Come here."
As she hugged him she smelled his suit coat.
"What are you doing now?" he asked with a smile.
"Just smelling to see if you really gave up smoking."
"I did," Patrick said.
"I can tell. I'm proud of you."
"Dad, I taught Granny reverse psychology," Timothy chimed in.
"You did. I will have to be careful or she'll be using it to steal you or Angela."
"...or both," Granny added with a laugh.