The little boy was told one day upon returning from school that his Nana’s condition had worsened and that she was in her final days. The little boy, who cared immensely about his Nana, raced up to the second apartment in their building in which the boys elderly Nana lived. He walked in cautiously, as not to disturb the old woman that was resting in the bed. “Hand me those cigarettes over there on the dresser, will ya?”, she said without even looking at him. The little boy reached over and grabbed his Nana’s pack of Virginia Slims that was sitting on the old wooden dresser at the rear of the room. He watched the old woman take one out and put it between her lips and light it with the strike of a match.
“Nana, why do you only have just days left to live?”, the boy stuttered as he could feel his face begin to get hot in the stuffy room. A tear began to roll down his face and drip onto the floor. “I am old and life has run its course with me,” she said without an ounce of hesitation. “Nana, what is the meaning of life?”, the boy asked. The old woman managed to sit up on her bed and began to speak. “I'll tell you what, if you can guess the meaning of life I will tell you if you are right. If by my final night you haven't guessed correctly I will tell you.”
Every night it was the boy's duty after dinner time to go upstairs to his grandmother's apartment, give her her medicine, and tuck her into bed. He had just finished eating and was eager to get upstairs and make his first guess at the meaning of life. When he entered the room his Nana had already taken her medicine and gotten herself into bed. The old woman told him to take a seat and asked him how his day was and what he had done. He told her all about school and about what he was learning but very quickly and without detail because he had been patiently waiting to give his guess all day.
“I suppose you would like to give me your guess as to the meaning of life is now.” The boy thought hard for a second and blurted, “Is it to get everything you have ever wanted?.” Nana looked at the boy and smiled a little bit and let out a chuckle. “No, I'm afraid that’s not the meaning of life. Now let me get my rest and you can try again tomorrow.” The boy kissed his Nana on the forehead and pulled the blanket up for her. He left her room and was very disappointed in himself and was frustrated at the idea of sitting through another day waiting to find the answer.
The next day the boy woke up and got ready for school. He left early and began walking the four blocks he walked every day to get there. On his way, he passed the park and saw a homeless man eating out of a paper bag on the bench. He sat down next to the man and asked him what he thought the meaning of life was. “The meaning of life is to have a good time before something tragic happens,” the man stammered.
Later that night just after dinner time, the boy raced up that flight of stairs and twisted the knob to let himself into his Nana’s room. “Are you ready to give your second guess?”, she asked. “Nana, is the meaning of life to have a good time before something tragic happens?”, he asked with confidence. “Wrong again, boy.” She said sternly with a smile. The boy's frustration continued and he asked, “Am I getting closer to getting it right?” His grandmother got into bed and said, “I guess you will find out tomorrow.”
The next morning he woke up and decided that he could not waste an entire day at school. He needed to concentrate very hard on his third guess. He got on the bus and rode downtown. He began walking the blocks of the city in search of any clues that might lead him to the answer. He walked past what seemed like a thousand places and finally stumbled upon Wall Street. He saw many businessmen getting out of limousines and fancy cars walking toward the office buildings. He decided that if these men were well off and successful they may know the meaning of life.
He stopped a man on the steps in a navy suit and slicked back hair and asked the man what the meaning of life was. The man looked at the boy with a grin and said, “ I own two homes and four of the most luxurious cars money can buy. I have everything I have ever wanted and all of the latest and greatest technology, I believe I must be the happiest man alive.” The man then said, “The meaning of life is to earn a tremendous living and enjoy all of the items you could never enjoy when you earn a regular wage.” The man hoisted his brief case off the steps and trotted into the building. The boy thought he must have the correct answer now if that man was so sure of himself.
That night the boy could not eat anything because he was far too focused on impressing his grandmother with his third guess. He climbed the steps and let himself in. The old woman sat in her chair in the far corner of the room and got settled in and lit herself a cigarette. “So young man, what shall your third guess be?” The boy began to smirk for he was sure he finally had the correct answer. “Nana, is the meaning of life to get rich and buy and enjoy all of the things you never could if you were poor?” The old woman stood up and looked out the window. “Boy, I have lived a long life and I have never once been rich. Having said this, I have thoroughly enjoyed my life and what it has had to offer me. You still have not answered correctly.” The old lady then got into bed and just before the boy left said, “try harder tomorrow.” The boy walked back down the steps and into his room. He got into bed and instantly fell asleep.
He woke up to a blinding light coming from the window. He got up and the closer he got to the frame the clearer the light became, he discovered mounds of snow were piled up on the streets that sat below his building. His clock read ten in the morning, three hours past when school began. The gift of a snow day had been given to him. He left the house and walked past the park where all of his friends were playing. He ignored their calls and efforts for him to join them on their day off. The boy had more important things on his mind. He began asking every adult in sight what they believed the meaning of life was and nothing seemed to help. As the hours passed and the snow fell the boy found himself lost in the neighborhood and had traveled further than he ever had on his own. He came to the edge of the woods and decided it was time to turn back. He had wasted an entire day searching for something that he desperately wanted to find. Upon returning home he found a note on the kitchen table. Nana’s health had diminished rapidly and was taken to the hospital.
The boy raced to the bus and sat on the edge of his seat until he reached his destination. He ran off the bus and through the waiting room of the hospital. After finally finding his Nana’s room he walked in nervously. His family was sitting down. Some were crying, others were hugging and some were partaking in both. The old woman called for everyone to leave but the boy. “Pull up a chair kid.” She said to the boy without looking at him. He did as he was told and could not stop thinking about how he had not come up with a guess and that if Nana passed without telling him, it would bother him forever. “Looks like tonight you will give your last guess, boy.” She said to him with a smile. “I don't think I've got much longer, so make it quick.”
The boy stopped for a second and thought about how even in the old woman's grim time, she was fearless and calm. He quite admired her for that. “I could not come up with anything today and I am very sorry.” He said with his eyes to the floor. She looked at him and began to laugh. “What is so funny, Nana?”, the boy asked. “Do you really want to know the truth?” The boy knew she was toying with him and was eager as ever. “Of course I do, it is the most important question of all time.” Nana sat up with all the strength she could muster and began laughing hysterically as she said, “I have no idea!”
The boy could not believe it and began to get angry. “What do you mean you don't know?”, he asked. “Nobody knows for sure and if they say they do, they are lying to you. Do not spend your life trying to figure it out or you will look back and not know where you are," she said as she calmed down her laughter.
Just then Nana’s heart monitor began going crazy. As the family and doctors rushed in, the boy asked frantically, “what is your guess? What do you think life means?” Nana took one last breath and looked at her grandson, “not a damn thing.” The heart monitor went flat and Nana died with a smile on her face.
The boy did not cry because he knew Nana would not want him to. He thought long and hard and made one last promise to never take anything in life too seriously. Nana had enjoyed her life, and so would he. He laughed himself to sleep while looking at old pictures of the woman and the places she went and the things she accomplished.
