An-tic-i-pa-tion!

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His mouth began to open just a little. His hand began to rise, carrying the ice cream cone he was eating on this hot summer day.

Grampa, after Grandma died, would come out from New York State and visit us in Arkansas for about a month. It usually happened in the summer when Mom and Dad’s plans were to go to New York for a visit, so that he could ride back with them,

Grampa was a dear old man. And I loved him very much. But there were times he could just be downright annoying! That was because he liked to tease. I decided in later years, long after he was gone, that he must have done that because he really didn’t know what else to do to interact with his grandkids. They were mostly girls but also some grandsons. Besides he was not a ball-tossing kind of Grampa. He farmed and he watched TV. And teased!

He liked to tease in a variety of ways, but he had his favorites. This was one of them. He would sneak up behind you and *getcha* in the ribs. Now I wasn’t really ticklish. But the suddenness would always make me jump and/or scream. So what does that do? Just encourage him to do it some more!!! Or he’d bump my elbow, always on accident of course, just as I, or anyone was about to put some food in his or her mouth!

It was his little game and way of showing how much he really loved us kids. Well! When I got older I decided that I was going to show him how much I loved him, too. So the game was on. I’d do to him things that he would do to me. But on this day, I got him good!!!

I have no idea where we were all headed. But that doesn't really matter. Mom and Dad were in the front seat of the car. Grampa and I were in the back. I sat behind Dad who was driving, and Grampa sat behind Mom.

He was always ready to eat ice cream, day or night, rain or shine, full or hungry. In later years, sometimes that was the only thing that Mom could get him to eat. He loved his ice cream.

I made a plan and set it into motion. We were all busy licking our cones, lapping up the cool, delicious summer treat. It was get-back time and I was going to score with this one!!!

His hand got a little higher. I knew I had to time it just right. His mouth opened wider. It was like slow motion on TV. The cone was rising through the air.

I watched Grampa out of the corner of my eye as he prepared to take another lick of the luscious cone. I scooted back in my seat to I would have my balance just right and my right arm free to move. His hand was getting still higher yet.

I had to act very innocent as if I was continuing to eat my cone as well. His cone moved closer, and closer, ...and closer. I took another lick of mine.

His mouth was fully open, poised to close down on that delicious cool delight. I shifted. I loosened my arm.

I knew I would have to have my palm facing forward and the back of my hand toward his mouth if this plan was to work. I also had to time it just right!

He was closing in, I could see the look of expectation on his face!

With the snap of a frog's tongue, I shot my arm over! Bull's Eye! The ice cream scoop plowed right into the palm of my hand. His mouth came down on - NOTHING! The look of shock flew across his face!

'What happened to my ice cream cone?' The look on his face said it all! It was perfect!

The unfortunate scoop landed in his lap, the cone still in his hand. That was an unexpected bonus! Of course I never gave it a thought what it might do to his clothes. I was too busy cracking up laughing, and licking off my hand.

I got him goooooooooood! The look of chagrin on his face said I had scored!!! Suzanne 1, Grampa 0. He knew exactly why I had done that. It was get-back time and I won!!!

Course now, I had to be on the look out for he would be planning next to get even with me! But I didn't care, and neither did he, really. On this day, the grandkid won!