18 The Oldest Person in the World
'We return in triumph, Charlie!' cried Mr Wonka as the GreatGlass Elevator began to slow down. 'Once more your dearfamily will all be together again!'
The Elevator stopped. The doors slid open. And there was theChocolate Room and the chocolate river and theOompa-Loompas and in the middle of it all the great bedbelonging to the old grandparents. 'Charlie!' said Grandpa Joe,rushing forward. 'Thank heavens you're back!' Charlie huggedhim. Then he hugged his mother and his father. 'Is she here?'
he said. 'Grandma Georgina?'
Nobody answered. Nobody did anything except Grandpa Joe,who pointed¹ to the bed. He pointed but he didn't look wherehe was pointing. None of them looked at the bed — exceptCharlie. He walked past them all to get a better view, and hesaw at one end the two babies, Grandma Josephine andGrandpa George, both tucked in and sleeping peacefully. At theother end …
'Don't be alarmed,' said Mr Wonka, running up and placing ahand on Charlie's arm. 'She's bound to be just a teeny bitover-plussed. I warned you about that.'
'What have you done to her?' cried Mrs Bucket. 'My poor oldmother!'
Propped² up against the pillows at the other end of the bedwas the most extraordinary-looking thing Charlie had ever seen!
Was it some ancient fossil? It couldn't be that because it wasmoving slightly! And now it was making sounds! Croakingsounds — the kind of sounds a very old frog might make if itknew a few words. 'Well, well, well,' it croaked³. 'If it isn't dearCharlie.'
'Grandma!' cried Charlie. 'Grandma Georgina! Oh … Oh … Oh!'
Her tiny face was like a pickled walnut⁴. There were suchmasses of creases⁵ and wrinkles that the mouth and eyes andeven the nose were sunken almost out of sight. Her hair waspure white and her hands, which were resting on top of theblanket, were just little lumps of wrinkly skin.
The presence of this ancient creature seemed to have terrifiednot only Mr and Mrs Bucket, but Grandpa Joe as well. Theystood well back, away from the bed. Mr Wonka, on the otherhand, was as happy as ever. 'My dear lady!' he cried,advancing to the edge of the bed and clasping one of thosetiny wrinkled hands in both of his. 'Welcome home! And howare you feeling on this bright and glorious day?'

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