A Lucky Nose

“Grandpa, why is your nose crooked?” Marley asked.

“It’s better for catching luck,” Grandpa said.

“That doesn’t make sense,” Marley said.  “How do you catch luck?”

“You have to look for it,” Grandpa said.  “My crooked nose has always pointed me in the right direction.  Pay attention today, and you’ll see.”

“What will we do first?” Marley asked.

“Let’s go to the park,” Grandpa said.

Marley loved the park by Grandpa’s house.  When Grandpa pushed her in the swings, she could almost swing high enough to kick the leaves of the old oak tree.  The slide was tall and red and went around in loops.  Grandpa caught her at the end, every time.  There also were climbing bars that went straight across, like a ladder lain on stilts.  If Grandpa held her up, she could go all the way across, and her arms wouldn’t hurt.

Today, the park wasn’t very fun.  Right after they go there, it started raining.  “Rain isn’t very lucky when you want to go to the park,” Marley said.  “Grandpa, your nose was wrong.”

Grandpa smiled.  “But Marley, look.  You don’t have to wait in line for anything.  Everyone else went home.  And you get a free shower, too.”

“I don’t know,” Marley said.  “We’ll get all wet.”

“We’re already wet,” grandpa said.  “I don’t think we could get any more wet.”

Playing at the park in the rain was silly and fun.  The rain seemed to fall in waves when she was on the swing.  The slide was extra slippery.  And, with Grandpa holding her up, she didn’t have to worry about slipping off the climbing bars.

They went home for lunch.  After they’d changed and eaten, Grandpa picked up his car keys.  “Who wants to go out for ice cream?” he asked.

“The park and ice cream?  It is a lucky day,” Marley said.

“The nose knows,” Grandpa said, and he tapped his crooked nose with his finger.

The sun came out as they drove to the ice cream shop.  Grandpa said they could get double scoops, and Marley could pick whatever flavors she wanted.  She got chocolate and strawberry.  Both of Grandpa’s scoops were vanilla.

As they left the shop, one of Grandpa’s scoops fell off onto the sidewalk.  He picked it up with a paper towel and threw it away.  “That’s unlucky,” Marley said.  “Now you only have one scoop.”

“Yes, but now I’ll eat fewer calories,” Grandpa said.  “That means I won’t have to do as much exercise later.”

“You don’t have to exercise,” Marley said.

“My nose says being healthy is very lucky,” Grandpa said.

“Your nose is weird,” Marley said.

They sat at a table outside and ate their ice cream.  A red and white umbrella kept the sun out of their eyes.  Even with more scoops of ice cream, Marley finished first.  “It was lucky you lost your other scoop,” Marley said.  “Otherwise we’d be here forever.”

“Maybe you’re right,” Grandpa said.

When they got back to the car, Grandpa’s car had a parking ticket.  His parking meter ran out five minutes before they got back.  “That’s really unlucky,” Marley said.

“I guess it’s a chance to serve my country without joining the military,” Grandpa said.

“Grandpa, you make everything sound lucky, even parking tickets.  But parking tickets aren’t really lucky,” Marley said.

“I told you that you have to find your luck.  If you look closely, it’s there.  Then you’re always lucky,” grandpa said.

“Your crooked nose taught you that?” Marley asked.

“Yes, it did,” grandpa said.

“But I don’t want a crooked nose,” Marley said.

“That’s all right,” Grandpa said.  “My crooked nose can catch enough luck for both of us.  You just need to remember to look for it.”

“I’ll try,” Marley said.  “But I still think parking tickets are unlucky.”

“Maybe you’re right,” Grandpa said.