Catcth Us If You Can

Chapter 1

Rory and his grandfather are waiting to see Dr Nicol, their family doctor at the doctor’s waiting room. Rory calls his grandfather as Granda. Granda cannot sit still. He goes off to smoke his pipe and comes back. Granda walks over to the noticeboard. There is an old woman sitting beside it. Rory asks Granda to sit still. A young girl about sixteen years old comes in with a baby in her arms. Granda stands up and opens the door for her. Granda asks Rory to help to take her bag. Granda likes the baby and starts talking to it. The young girl giggles and says the baby name is Lorelei.

Granda then asks if the young girl calls her baby after Marilyn Monroe and she is confused. The young girl again says that her baby’s name is Lorelei and not Marilyn. Granda is good about films and Marilyn Monroe is one of his favourites. Suddenly the old woman smells smoke. The young girl also smells it as well. She jumps up and shouts that Granda is on fire. Everyone in the doctor’s waiting room sees that Granda’s pocket is burning. Then the smoke alarm begins to wail. The receptionist rushes to them yet Granda is still smiling. Rory grabs a vase filled with flowers from the receptionist’s counter and throws the water all over Granda.

Dr Nicol is surprised to see Mister McIntosh wet. Granda complains that Rory is trying to drown him. Rory says that it is not the first time his grandfather sets something on fire. Dr Nicol likes Granda and Rory; both are like double act that always makes him laugh. Dr Nicol is glad that he has a grandson like Rory who looks after him and reminds him to take his medicine. Dr Nicol tries to get Rory a home help. Rory agrees that a home help will be a good idea but Granda does not like it. Granda’s memory is getting bad from worse. He leaves shoes in the fridge and milk at the bottom of the wardrobe.

Rory needs help to look after his grandfather who is very forgetful nowadays.

Chapter 2

Rory’s grandfather likes to keep his homework ‘somewhere safe’ and Rory is trying hard to locate his homework. Granda remembers putting it in Rory’s school bag when he is putting the rubbish down the chute. Rory’s guess is right when he finds a bag of eggshells and potato peelings in his school bag. He imagines his homework lying among the rubbish. Rory does not know how to tell to his teacher, Mrs Foley. Darren Fisher, Rory’s best friend suggests to him by saying that aliens take it away.

Rory’s other classmates gather around him at the playground trying to help him too. His friends like Granda and his stories. Granda is almost arrested for shoplifting when a hanger with a suit on it gets caught in the belt of his raincoat and he walks out of the shop without noticing it. Rory confesses to Mrs Foley about the loss of his homework. Mrs Foley asks about Granda’s condition and if he is coming to Parents’ Night. Granda never misses it before. Mrs Foley asks Rory to stay back and do the homework. However, Rory cannot stay back because Granda is making lunch and is waiting for him to have lunch together.

Rory runs out of the playground towards his flats. He buys two hot pies, one for him and one for Granda. Granda does not cook at all; in fact Rory has to bring him lunch every day. Rory has to make sure Granda takes his medicine too. Granda is old now and Rory thinks that he has the responsibility to look after him.

Chapter 3

Mr Hood, Rory, Darren and Mary Bailey are at the field where football practice is going on. Mr Hood asks Rory to be in the football team. Rory refuses as he has to look after his Granda. Darren and Mary quarrel. Mr Hood drags Mary to the headmaster’s office.

Darren again suggests Rory to be on the team. Rory states the same reason. Darren thinks that Rory’s Granda should be in a home and Rory is angry about it. Granda always talks about Rachnadar, the local old people’s hospital to Rory. His Granda would rather die than to live there. Darren’s mother tells Darren that Rory’s Granda will be better there. Rory runs off before Darren could say another word. Granda only has Rory and Rory only has granda as his kin. Rory tries his best to coach Granda on how to behave as Parents’ Night is coming up soon. He wants to reassure Mrs Foley that Granda has all his marbles.

One day, Rory comes home to discover that Granda mistakenly peels a bag of apples and cuts them into chips. Granda thinks that the apples are potatoes! Granda also tries to help with the cooking but he leaves the electric rings switch on and burns out a pot. That night Rory and Granda are watching television when Granda watches Rory closely. Rory is thinking about his father. Granda is angry at the mention of Rory’s father. Granda and Granny have spoilt him too much. He gets what he wants as a child. When he is tired of them, he throws them aside. He treats Rory’s mother in the same way.

Rory’s father leaves Rory’s mother and Rory when he is a baby. Granda does not want to talk about Rory’s father. Granda only has a son, none other than Rory!

Chapter 4

Rory and his Granda walk to the school on Parents’ Night. Granda wears slippers and they go back home again to change so they are the last to arrive. There are many parents waiting patiently in queue. Darren comes and greets Granda. Granda looks around ans asks where Holy Foley is. Granda then goes to the toilet on his own. He does not want Rory to accompany him. Rory is worried about Granda.

Luckily Granda steps back into the classroom. It is Rory’s turn and Mrs Foley talks to Granda about Rory’s homework. Granda leans forward and says that Mrs Foley indeed has moustache, just as what Rory has told him! Suddenly, Mrs Foley smells that something is on fire. Clouds of smoke is billowing from the pocket of Granda’s coat hanging on a hook. Then Mrs Foley’s coat, pale green with a little matching scarf is on fire too because it is beside Granda’s coat. People walk out of the classroom into the playground as the caretaker ushers them. Granda goes to the toilet earlier to take a puff.

Then he puts his pipe in his pocket but he forgets about it. However, Granda finds the whole thing funny and exciting just like other boys feel. Luckily, Darren’s father helps to put out the fire. Mrs Foley looks at Granda angrily.

Chapter 5

Darren and Rory’s other friends are delighted with Granda’s attempt to ‘set the school on fire’ and they exaggerate on it. Granda admits that it must have been his fault. Darren’s mother is worried that it might happen again maybe in the middle of the night at Rory’s home. She thinks that Rory should not shoulder such big responsibility. He should be playing football!

Rory confirms it will not happen as he hides Granda’s pipe before he goes to bed. Meanwhile, Val Jessup, the social worker comes to see Granda and Rory. She is sent by Dr Nicol. Val Jessup is trying to organise a home help who comes in at lunchtime and prepares food for Granda. She will also make sure Granda takes his medicine. With the home help, Rory dreams of joining the football team again. Val Jessup makes Granda thinks of Grace Kelly, a beautiful film star just because both have fair hair! Granda tucks Rory into bed and Rory thinks life will be better as they have a social worker now.

Mrs Foley asks Rory about things at home. Rory tells that now they have a social worker and will have a home help soon. One day after school, Rory runs for the bakery and two hot pies. The baker tells Rory about his flats which is on fire. Rory rushes to his flats. His neighbour, Mrs MacKay scolds Granda for causing the fire. Rory is very angry with her. He tries to defend his Granda. Rory throws himself at her and tries to kick her. The policemen stop him. One policeman informs Rory that Granda is in hospital now but he will be all right. Rory recalls that he hides his Granda’s pipe.

However, the policeman tells Rory that Granda leaves the chip an on and forgets about it. this causes the fire. Rory is perplexed as he does not know what is his Granda doing with a chip pan.