Old Lady Hears Granddaughter Mock Woman Selling Second-Hand Books on the Street — Story of the Day

A wise grandmother teaches her arrogant teenaged granddaughter a valuable lesson about kindness and good manners.

Julia Kendal sighed as her thirteen-year-old granddaughter Lacy flounced into the room pouting. “Like, I can’t believe I’m going to be here for TWO WEEKS without Netflix! How am I going to survive?”

“Honey,” Julia said mildly, “you know it’s not that bad! I do have Wi-Fi and there’s cable, and lots to do and books to read…” But inwardly, Julia was asking herself the same question: How was SHE going to survive two weeks with her spoiled, ill-mannered granddaughter?

Julia’s daughter Amy had gone for a knee-replacement surgery after a serious injury during a family ski trip to Vail, Colorado. Julia had offered to take Lacy for the two weeks, to give her daughter a chance to recover without a whining teen in attendance.

Now Julia wondered if she could handle Lacy. The girl was lovely and sweet one moment, an unbearable bratty monster the next, and Julia never knew what she’d have to deal with.

“Well, sweets,” Julia said. “I was thinking, why don’t we go to town tomorrow. Walkabout, do some sightseeing, maybe some shopping? What do you think?”

Lacy sneered. “Shopping? In this one-horse-town? You must be dreaming!”

“Oh, we’re not so bad,” said Julia calmly. “I think you will be surprised.”

In fact, the town in Maryland that Julia lived in was charming, with lots of quaint, original shops, including a vintage music store, and she was sure that Lacy would find something to interest her.

The next day, they set off in Julia’s old car, parked on the main street, and got out. Julia pointed out a charming old diner with an old-fashioned, fully functional soda fountain. “That’s where you and your grandfather used to meet for milkshakes,” she said smiling.

But Lacy threw a disdainful look at the diner and sniffed. “Isn’t there a Starbucks around here?”