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But the old man’s shaking hands and failing eyesight made eating
What difficulties
rather difficult. He often dropped things. When he grasped the glass, did the old man face
the milk spilled on the table cloth. The son and the daughter-in-law due to his age?
became irritated with the mess.

One day, when the old man was drinking coffee, the cup slipped from his trembling
hands and the coffee spilled on the floor. “We must do something about this man,”
said the son. “I’ve had enough. I can’t tolerate this anymore,” said the wife.

The next day, the son and the daughter-in-law set a small table in a corner of the

dining room. There, grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner
at the dining table.

Grandfather did not say anything but when the family glanced in his direction, they

noticed tears in his eyes as he ate alone.

As time passed, grandfather grew weaker and weaker. He had no strength left. One night

as he was eating, his hands shook so much that the bowl of rice fell down. All the rice fell
on the floor and the bowl broke into pieces and grandfather looked very scared.

“I am sorry,” he mumbled. But his daughter-in-law was very angry with all the mess.

She said to him, “No more cups and bowls for you old man. I am going to serve all your

food in a wooden bowl hereafter.”

The little boy looked at his grandfather sadly. He picked up the pieces from the floor
and cleaned up the place.

58 Arrow-English Plus-4