About my Grandfather

My dad's father passed away when my father was eight. He couldn't remember what he looked like. He had never seen a picture of him.

Through the years, two pictures showed up of my grandfather, both when he was old. Neither was very good.

One of them is an old man sitting on a porch, wearing a hat. Can't see his eyes, and he was unshaven. There was a horse in the background.

I was thin growing up. At around the age of 20, I was bean pole thin.

We went back to where my parents grew up for some reason, I don't remember why, but while we were there, someone my father grew up with passed away.

I went with my father to the funeral home, and he wandered off to talk to people he knew from the past.

I was standing by the door when I heard a booming voice, "Irving, is that you? You ain't changed a lick in 50 years."

I turned to see an old man in a wheelchair who was obviously confused.

"Well you look just as young as ever," I told him.

He talked about things I knew nothing about like I grew up with him, quickly said his goodbyes and took off with wide eyes looking for other memories he might find.

A few minutes later, a guy walked up to me to thank me for being understanding with his father.

"You're Henry's boy aren't you? You know who he thought you were don't you? Irving was your grandfather."

I was stunned.

I had always been told I looked like my mom's family.

40 plus years passed, and I had gotten fat. I got a diabetes diagnosis, and had to go on diet.

I've lost 50 pounds, and looked in the mirror, and I can see that old guy with the hat sitting on the porch.