He didn't think I saw him but I did. Out of the corner of my eyes I just caught sight of him as he turned the corner. He had the stealth and quickness of a cat.

I took off running. He wouldn't get away this time. It was always the same. He cut and slithered through the crowd as he tried to escape me.

Younger and faster he traveled at the speed of light. But my old age gave me wisdom and treachery. I deftly cut the angles and trimmed the edges to gain on him.

Almost had him that time! I reached and grabbed at his hood, but he ducked and banked right against the crowd.

I lost ground and was beginning to think I was done. Then he made his only mistake. He stopped to look at a toy in the window.

I leaped forward and swooped him up in my arms. Looking as stern as I could I said, "How many times have I told you never to run away like that? What if you get lost?"

He smiled up at me knowing he won. So I said, "OK.. if you run away again, I'm going to put a dragon in your room to eat your feet!"

Then he started laughing which made me laugh. He said, "Silly Gampa.. dragons are pretend."

I lowered him back to the ground and I said, "We'll see tomorrow when you have no place to put your socks!"

As his feet hit the ground, he took off running. I could hear his laughter echoing in my ears.

He knew Gampa would always follow. And dragons are just pretend.