The Greatest Man Alive... (in my book)

So I am in L.A. visiting relatives, and it just hit me hard as to how much I love my grandpop. As they say in boxing, he is pound for pound the coolest man alive. Everything he does is just old school. From the way he walks and talks, to the way he dresses. He possesses the presence of a man who has lived life to his fullest.

He dresses cool, like members of the rat pack would if they were still alive and had retired to Palm Springs. No matter what the situation, he stays dressed to impress. Whenever he goes out he has the bucket hat on and it tilts ever so slightly. He also wears alligator shoes, but they aren't loafers. They are these high top boots with a zipper on the side, but 100% alligator skin. I often joke that I will one day have a pair just like them. 

He only watches the news, sports, and western movies. In just sitting with him today here is what we watched today. The Masters, a John Wayne movie, the Dodgers, vs. the Dbacks, boxing,  and now the Last of the Mohicans.  How cool is that? He has a lazy boy and next to the reclining chair is a list. On that list are his preferred TV channels, and there are two listed... ESPN and whatever channel shows westerns. I love the fact that with over three hundred channels showing thousands of different things but his list of favorites involves two of the things he has grown up with.

He gambles.... and he wins. He's not a guy who plays the penny slots wearing Bermuda shorts and black sock pulled up to his knees.... no, grandpop does it right. He goes to the racetrack, and plays black jack. I swear that during the last 50 years, he has helped to keep the Las Vegas Hilton solvent during his many Vegas runs. One of the best moments I've had is sitting across the black jack table from grandpop, while both of us were taking the hotel's money.

He speaks the truth, and expects nothing less from everyone else. I think that one is pretty self explanatory.

He loves all 8 of his children, his 43 grandchildren, and 25 great grandchildren, but he saves his best for his wife. I once asked him how he met my grandma. He told me that after he returned home from the Korean War (Oh yeah, he also fought in the Korean War) that he met her at a USO dance. Grandpop saw her from across the room, and she was talking to another guy. When that other guy went to get her a glass of punch, grandpop walked over and asked her for a dance. Everything after that is history. I asked him if the other guy was mad, and he responded with a nod. But he looked me in the eye and said, " Bob, it didn't matter if he was mad or not, because I was in love."

So those are just a few reasons why I love and respect my grandpop. He also always has good advice, and isn't afraid to share it. I just hope that I'm as cool as he is when I'm 82 with grandchildren of my own.