Suzy and I head off the old-fashioned way through the streets of Toronto back to Justin’s apartment. It’s not far. We made it here on foot, we’ll make it back.

The sky hasn’t turned stormy in a few minutes, and I hope the issue with Charlie is resolved. 

In the meantime, I’m enjoying a walk through the streets of my city with my wife. 

“I’ve missed Toronto,” Suzy tells me as we walk. 

“Yeah?” 

“Just walking through the streets. I’ve been here and there, we’ve eaten here. So many memories. We’ve been in Justin’s dream for, what, a year and a half?”

“Something like that.” 

“And we’ve never actually been anywhere outside our home and other planets. I miss just walking down the streets. My friends...I haven’t talked to them in all this time!” 

“Me neither. I think something in how Justin creates us makes us not really miss the things that we can’t get anymore. Like sleep.” 

Suzy laughs. “Yeah. I don’t miss sleep. I like never being too tired. It makes me feel much younger.” 

“Oh, yeah,” I smile at her, raising an eyebrow. “How much younger?” 

She smiles but ignores me. “You feel younger, too, don’t you? Going on all these adventures with them?” 

I think about it and can’t help but smile. “Yeah. I never thought about it. I know my bones are sixty, but I feel thirty when I’m with them.” 

“That’s what I mean.” 

She takes my hand, and I hold it tightly. We keep walking.

“Did I tell you what Joy said to Charlie a couple of days ago?” 

“Mmmm. What?” 

“You guys were off doing something, and Joy and Charlie were playing at home. Then Charlie says, ‘Joy, I wish I was you!’” 

“Oh. Wow. He said that?” 

“And then, she’s kinda surprised, then thinks about it for a second, and says, ‘I wish we were both me!’” 

I laugh. “Oh my god!”

Suzy shakes her head. “Some people will think she’s stuck up.” 

“I hope you don’t. That’s just Joy. She’s so happy being her.” 

She nods. “I know. But some people will think that.” 

“Did you tell Justin?” 

“I forgot. I’ll tell him.” 

“There it is!” I point up at the roof of the building ahead of us. This is the apartment building where Justin leaves, and above the roof floats Justin’s warship, Bonny’s Revenge. 

“I don’t see any action,” she says. “That’s a good sign.” 

“Let’s go and see!” 

We go through the building, and, feeling young, we take the stairs. 

(To be continued…) 

—Told by Grampa Walt