Loneliness of Adventure

3. "There is nothing lonelier than adventure."(22)

"There is nothing lonelier than adventure," he said, stirring his tea slowly, adding another packet of Splenda. I didn't care to respond, only shooting him a quizzical look.
Taking a sip, he brushed the sugar off of the table. "People think they'll come back and everything will be exactly the same, but it's not. Journeys change people."
I rolled my eyes. He was getting philosophical again. It was so hard to drag my Grandfather back down to earth from the dreamworld he usually inhabited.
"That's all well and good, but I was just about to tell you that I'm leaving tomorrow at nine..."
The corners of his mouth turned up. "You're just like I was when I was your age. Stubborn. Rash."
"Thanks."
I looked up again, to see his rheumy eyes more watery than usual. "The army makes you strong. Tough, but strong." He paused, taking a sip of the steaming tea. "This is too strong."
I agreed, and we descended into our comfortable blanket of silence.
Minutes later, he broke it, looking across the table and into my eyes for the first time. "I'm proud of you."