He went about his business in a cheerful way. His rituals included opening doors for ladies and others, lifting his bowler hat to acknowledge those he knew or didn't, and giving up his seat for the elderly or those in need on the daily bus trip to work.
John was a fine gentleman from London, England. He worked in the city for the Bank of England all of his life. After a lifetime of travelling to work and working hard, he couldn’t wait to retire and put his feet up.
When he reached sixty-six, and qualified for a state pension he retired. Not that he really needed the money, as he had always contributed to a private pension fund which meant he had more than enough funds to live the rest of his life bigheartedly.
When his living-in granddaughter got up, she would come up to him and hug him tightly. Her gestures made him feel all warm inside. The bond they had formed was special. He tried to control his urges to give her all the chocolate and treats she pleaded for, and quite frankly it was difficult not to succumb to her wishes. She was spoilt like many other grandchildren!
Having worked extremely long hours when his children were growing up and not having the same time for them, he hadn’t quite been able to gain such affection. He viewed his current situation as a bonus for taking on his responsibilities with poise!
Have a truly wonderful day!
Pro. Carl Boniface
Vocabulary builder:
Bowler hat (n) = a man's hard felt hat with a round dome-shaped crown. (See article picture)
Bigheartedly (adv) = kindly, generously, openhandedly, liberally, munificently, (ant) ungenerously, meanly
Succumb (v) = yield, submit, surrender, capitulate, acceded, give way, give in, (ant) withstand
Poise (n) = self-respect, self-esteem, a dignified, self-confident manner or bearing; composure; self-possession