{"id":25605,"date":"2019-12-02T17:57:19","date_gmt":"2019-12-02T06:57:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.tomgrimshaw.com\/tomsblog\/?p=25605"},"modified":"2019-12-02T17:57:22","modified_gmt":"2019-12-02T06:57:22","slug":"calvin-and-hobbes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tomgrimshaw.com\/tomsblog\/?p=25605","title":{"rendered":"Calvin And Hobbes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Calvin<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Just a reminer about two of the most important things in life, your imagination and your friends!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCalvin? Calvin, sweetheart?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the darkness Calvin heard the sound of Susie, his wife of fifty-three years. Calvin struggled to open his eyes. God, he was so tired and it took so much strength. Slowly, light replaced the darkness, and soon vision followed. At the foot of his bed stood his wife. Calvin wet his dry lips and spoke hoarsely,
\n\u201cDid\u2026 did you\u2026. find him?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes dear,\u201d Susie said smiling sadly, \u201cHe was in the attic. \u201c
\nSusie reached into her big purse and brought out a soft, old, orange tiger doll. Calvin could not help but laugh. It had been so long. Too long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cl washed him for you,\u201d Susie said, her voice cracking a little as she laid the stuffed tiger next to her husband.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThank you, Susie.\u201d Calvin said. A few moments passed as Calvin just laid on his hospital bed, his head turned to the side, staring at the old toy with nostalgia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDear,\u201d Calvin said finally. \u201cWould you mind leaving me alone with Hobbes for a while? I would like to catch up with him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d Susie said. \u201cI\u2019ll get something to eat in the cafeteria. I\u2019ll be back soon.\u201d Susie kissed her husband on the forehead and turned to leave. With sudden but gentle strength Calvin stopped her. Lovingly he pulled his wife in and gave her a passionate kiss on the lips. \u201cl love you,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cAnd I love you,\u201d said Susie. Susie turned and left. Calvin saw tears streaming from her face as she went out the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calvin then turned to face his oldest and dearest friend. \u201cHello Hobbes. It\u2019s been a long time hasn’t it old pal?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hobbes was no longer a stuffed doll but the big furry old tiger Calvin had always remembered. \u201cIt sure has, Calvin.\u201d said Hobbes. \u201cYou\u2026 haven\u2019t changed a bit.\u201d Calvin smiled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou’ve changed a lot.\u201d Hobbes said sadly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calvin laughed, \u201cReally? I haven\u2019t noticed at all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was a long pause. The sound of a clock ticking away the seconds rang throughout the sterile hospital room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo\u2026 you married Susie Derkins.\u201d Hobbes said, finally smiling. \u201cl knew you always liked her.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShut up!\u201d Calvin said, his smile bigger than ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTell me everything I missed. I\u2019d love to hear what you\u2019ve been up to!\u201d Hobbes said, excited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so Calvin told him everything. He told him about how he and Susie fell in love in high school and had married after graduating from college, about his three kids and four grand-kids, how he turned Spaceman Spiff into one of the most popular sci-fi novels of the decade, and so on. After he told Hobbes all this there was another pregnant pause. \u201cYou know\u2026 I visited you in the attic a bunch of times.\u201d Calvin said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cl know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut I couldn\u2019t see you. All I saw was a stuffed animal.\u201d Calvin\u2019s voice was breaking and tears of regret started welling up in his eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou grew up old buddy.\u201d said Hobbes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m so sorry! I\u2019m so sorry I broke my promise! I promised I wouldn\u2019t grow up and that we\u2019d be together forever!!\u201d Calvin broke down and sobbed, hugging his best friend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hobbes stroked Calvin\u2019s hair, or what little was left of it. \u201cBut you didn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe were always together\u2026. In our dreams.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe were?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe were.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHobbes?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, old buddy?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m so glad I got to see you like this\u2026 one last time\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMe too, Calvin. Me too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSweetheart?\u201d Susie voice came from outside the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes dear?\u201d Calvin replied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCan I come in?\u201d Susie asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust a minute.\u201d Calvin turned to face Hobbes one last time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGoodbye Hobbes. Thanks\u2026 for everything\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018No, thank you Calvin.\u201d Hobbes said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calvin turned back to the door and said, \u201cYou can come in now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Susie came in and said, \u201cLook who\u2019s come to visit you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calvin\u2019s children and grandchildren followed Susie into the room. The youngest grandchild ran past the rest of them and hugged Calvin in a hard, excited hug. \u201cGrandpa!!\u201d screamed the child in delight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFrancis!\u201d cried Calvin\u2019s daughter, \u201cBe gentle with your grandfather.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calvin\u2019s daughter turned to her dad. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Daddy. Francis never seems to behave these days. He just runs around making a mess and coming up with strange stories.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calvin laughed and said, \u201cWell now! That sound just like me when I was his age.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calvin and his family chatted some more until a nurse said, \u201cSorry, but visiting hours are almost up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calvin\u2019s beloved family said good bye and promised to visit tomorrow. As they turned to leave Calvin said, \u201cFrancis. Come here for a second.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Francis came over to his grandfather\u2019s side, \u201cWhat is it Gramps?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calvin reached over to the stuffed tiger on his bedside and held him out shakily to his grandson, who looked exactly as he did so many years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is Hobbes. He was my best friend when I was your age. I want you to have him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“He\u2019s just a stuffed tiger.\u201d Francis said, eyebrows raised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calvin laughed, \u201cWell, let me tell you a secret.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Francis leaned closer to Calvin. Calvin whispered, \u201cIf you catch him in a tiger trap using a tuna sandwich as bait he will turn into a real tiger.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Francis gasped in delighted awe. Calvin continued, \u201cNot only that he will be your best friend forever.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWow! Thanks grandpa!\u201d Francis said, hugging his grandpa tightly again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFrancis! We need to go now!\u201d Calvin\u2019s daughter called.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOkay!\u201d Francis shouted back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTake good care of him.\u201d Calvin said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cl will.\u201d Francis said before running off after the rest of the family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calvin laid on his back and stared at the ceiling. The time to go was close. He could feel it in his soul. Calvin tried to remember a quote he read in a book once. It said something about death being the next great adventure or something like that. His eyelids grew heavy and his breathing slowed. As he went deeper into his final sleep he heard Hobbes, as if he was right next to him at his bedside. \u201cI\u2019ll take care of him, Calvin\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Just a reminer about two of the most important things in life, your imagination and your friends! \u201cCalvin? Calvin, sweetheart?\u201d In the darkness Calvin heard the sound of Susie, his wife of fifty-three years. Calvin struggled to open his eyes. God, he was so tired and it took so much strength. Slowly, light replaced the … <\/p>\n

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