[ WP ] A hospice . You 're watching the Mars landing with your grandmother . As they descend , she turns and stares at you for a moment , then speaks .

Grandma Coral stared at the screen silently, her face as expressionless as a marble statue. The only thing lively about her was the static reflecting off her thick pair of glasses. I could n't tell what she was thinking, even after all these years of knowing her. I waited awkwardly in the hospice seat next to her, wondering what Grandma could possibly say about this; to finally see Mars through the eyes of an astronaut, to see the progress of humanity in motion. Gradually she turned to me and smiled. 
 
 `` Hector, darling, I still do n't see the big deal.'' 
 
 `` What!'' I yelled, `` Grandma, This is Mars we are seeing! Those people are on Mars!'' 
 
 `` It looks rather dusty and plain for my taste, do n't see why anyone would want to visit it so much.'' She said, `` I mean if they want to see yellowish red rocks so badly, they could have just drove to Arizona for a fraction of the price of that newfangled spaceship.'' 
 
 `` Do n't you understand the significance of this!'' I asked, `` This is the next step in the space frontier. Today we send astronauts, tomorrow we could have colonies.'' 
 
 `` What so other people can visit bland yellowish red rocks? No thank you.'' Coral picked up the remote and switched the channel. 
 
 `` GRANDMA!'' I yelled, grabbing back the remote and turning it back to the previous channel, `` We are watching the Mars landing!'' 
 
 `` What for?'' She whined. `` We already seen the rocket land and the fellows step out, all that's left is watching them stumble around and collect yellowish red rocks with their doodads. That's boring! I want to watch Jeopardy!'' 
 
 `` This is the only time we'll ever see the Mars landing!'' I argued, `` You can watch Jeopardy later.'' 
 
 `` Nonsense, they'll be showing this video for weeks straight!'' She snapped back, `` This is a new episode of Jeopardy, I heard they're doing it Mars-based.'' 
 
 `` I meant this is the only time we'll see it live.'' I replied. 
 
 `` Bah, I saw the moon landing live and it was n't great either.'' she mumbled, `` in fact it was worse! At least Mars has color, the moon only had dumb white greyish rocks to look at.'' 
 
'Please just bear with it!'' I begged, `` For God's sake this moment will go down in history.'' 
 
 `` Why ca n't you just watch it in the other room?'' Coral asked, `` If the fellows stumbled across some aliens or something, you can let me know.'' 
 
 The television suddenly started blaring, **'' Attention, Astronauts just discovered evidence of water condensation on Mars. Liquid water has been discovered on Mars. This is a repeat, pure liquid water has been discovered on Mars. `` ** 
 
 `` GRANDMA DID YOU HEAR THAT! LIQUID WATER! THEY FOUND LIQUID WATER ALREADY!'' I yelled out, `` This is spectacular!'' 
 
 `` You folks really do get excited over everything do n't you?'' grandma asked, `` I mean seriously, the yellowish red rocks are just wet. What's all the commotion for? I have a cup full of water right now in my hand and no one's throwing a party for me.'' 
 
 `` This is why no one visits you, grandma.'' I replied slumping down in my seat, `` You really do suck the joy out of everything.'' 
 
 Coral just shrugged her shoulders and flipped the channel again. Suddenly she jabbed my arm. 
 
 `` Hector! It's a daily-double!'' She cried out excitedly, pointing at the television, `` I bet this is going to be a tricky one!''
