"Ring of Fire"
Grandpa is sitting on the porch with his grandkids, Sarah and Trent. They are both about middle school age.
Sarah: Grandpa, how did you and Grandma meet?
Grandpa: I’ve told you that story before. This time I’ll make it more interesting. You see “love is a burning thing.”
Sarah and Trent: EWWW!
Trent: It’s okay. We don’t need to hear this.
Grandpa: You two have your minds in the gutters. You’ve never been in love. It’s a whole body experience. It tingles, it’s fun, “and it makes” you really happy.
Sarah: How did you know?
Grandpa: She spun around at a dance when we were in college. I watched her from across the room. When we made eye contact, I knew I wanted to marry her.
Trent: That’s it? I saw plenty of girls at my school dance spin around and none of them interest me.
Sarah: That’s because you don’t like girls.
Trent punches Sarah in the arm.
Sarah: Ow!
Grandpa: Both of you stop that. Of course it doesn’t happen when just anyone spins around. I knew this about your grandmother. It didn’t take long before I got her that “fiery ring” she wanted.
Trent: It seems like there’s got to be more than you saw her spin and then you presented her a ring.
Grandpa: Of course there was. She and I “were bound by wild desire.” You couldn’t separate us. I passed up a job because it meant that we’d spend the summer apart. I knew nothing meant more to me than her.
Sarah: Mom says you shouldn’t pass up really good opportunities just because you met someone you like.
Grandpa: At your age I agree with that. 1% of pre-teen love ever works in a long term marriage. I was in my 20s and “I fell in to a ring of fire.” To bring back those days and nights.
Trent: So then what happened? I mean after your “ring of fire.”
Grandpa: “I went down, down, down” on one knee and well, “the taste of love is sweet.” We got married, had your mom and a couple other not as well behaved children and now you two are on my porch listening to old stories about my youth. A younger version of myself would not be able to believe this is the life we lived.
Grandma comes out of the house.
Grandma: What are you three yakking about?
Trent and Sarah: You!
Grandma: Again? Do you ever hear other stories when you come to visit us?
Sarah: I like the stories. Grandpa likes talking about you.
Grandpa: My love, “when hearts like ours meet” you tell the whole world.
Trent: Did you fall as fast for Grandpa?
Grandma: Not as fast, but “I fell for you like a child” falling for candy. Speaking of candy, I finally have everything ready for us to make rock candy. You both need to pick a couple flavors and we are off to the races.
Sarah and Trent excitedly get up and run into the house. Grandpa stands and they hold each other for a moment, lovingly looking into each others’ eyes.
Grandma: I may not have fallen for you as quickly, “but the fire went wild” when I did.
Grandpa: It still is wild.
The music and video above is owned by the artists and their record labels, as applicable.
