8/6/11
Hi, I’m Josh, and I’m the youngest of the 7 cousins.
As you guys may know, Brian was the youngest cousin before I came along 8 years later. That makes me the youngest cousin by far, and because of this I was left out of a lot of family activities. I constantly hear the adults reminiscing about old stories and experiences. I heard that Grandpa used to be very picky and always criticize the cousins on what they wore and how they acted. However, I feel that because I was the youngest, I had a special bond with Grandpa. My image of Grandpa is a very patient, giving man who was likeable by all. He was very soft spoken, but when he does talk, it is usually about something very humorous or intelligent.
Because I live in California and am also the youngest, most of what I know about Grandpa is from what my dad told me. When Grandpa was younger, he used to invent things, such as the machines to make umbrella rods the machines to make sporting shoes. I’ve always known him as a handy man, and this was proved when he came to California and would often fix many miscellaneous things. To him, fixing our fence that wouldn’t close, our doorknob that wouldn’t turn, and our handle on the trashcan was a piece of cake.
There is one memory I have of him that I will never forget. When I was in second grade, I thought I was a stud in elementary school because I was one of the fastest runners in my grade. When I would walk home from school every day, there would be a large pasture where I could sprint at full speed for about as long as a football field. One day, when grandpa was walking home with me, we approached the field, where I promptly asked him to race. At first, he humbly denied my request, but after a lot of urging, he agreed to race me. I counted down 3,2, and took off before I said 1, giving myself a huge head start. But after a couple feet, grandpa sped way ahead of me. I remember admiring him and respecting him so much more after that point. I now recognize that he is much more than just fast, but also a loving man who has affected many in his life. I know that he is in a better place now, but he will always still be a part of my life. I am proud to be part of his family and I know I will see him again. I love my grandpa.
