“Hank, can you go to McRae’s immediately? It’s Grandparent’s Day, and Azali doesn’t have either grandparent present. She is crying her eyes out!” These words came from Faya Rose, Azali’s grandmother and my wife. She was calling from Atlanta.

I had so much to do and so little time. I dropped everything and dashed to my car. I drove firmly to get there as soon aspossible. I hated the thought of my 4-year-old granddaughter crying because she did not have grandparents at school on Grandparent’s Day.

When I walked in I met several grandparents, all grandmothers. Someone directed me to Azali’s classroom. Her teacher said, “She has been crying. She refused to participate in anything. She will not play or do anything else. She is distraught!”

She jumped up and ran toward me, gushing, ”Granddaddy! Granddaddy!”

Azali leaped in my arms, wrapping her little arms around my neck. I was so glad I had come. I located my two other grandchildren at the school. One, Ayiraa, is 3 and the other, Ayanna, is going on 2. The 3- year-old was glad to see me but did not make much of a demonstration one way or the other. I held her for a moment as we posed for a photo. Then she was off to play with the other children without a second thought of me. Incidentally, I did not get any less work done that day. Also, I found out my daughter forgot that it was Grandparent’s Day until she dropped the children off to school that morning.

She did not call me because she did not want to disturb me at the last moment especially with my scheduled trip. However, she admitted that she would have called her mother at the last minute. It was a precious moment for me. In fact, it was three precious moments. – one with each of my three grandchildren. I am just glad I was a real grandparent for a few moments on