When we think about the ingredients that make up our personalities, it is usually discovered that there are certain people that have had a large part in forming our character. Parents are certainly prominent here, as expected, but strangely for myself I keep coming to the conclusion that someone else had an even more pronounced influence. When I mention it was my Grandpa it seems even more odd because this was a man that I didn't spend a considerable amount of time with and perhaps was not even very close to.
When I was a kid, there's no doubt that I was rather unsure about Grandpa. He never really had the typical grandparent ways about him and I really only remember sitting in his kitchen while he drank sherry or beer and smoked hand rolled cigarettes with no filters. He never got excited when you visited, and never really made a fuss over you like grandparents usually do with the grandkiddies. He was well known to frequent the local pubs and it wasn't unusual for him to arrive home in some pretty sozzled states after work. Rarely did he issue compliments to anyone.
Now, it may seem I'm painting a picture of a rather dissappointing man, but it was only when I got a bit older that I started to appreciate what he had to offer. You see, I have a sense of humour that baffled my parents. It's dark, cynical, and sarcastic and they never really got it. But Grandpa did, because he had the very same. He was very working class, preferred the company of misfits and rascals and understood the bullshit of the world and made fun of it. As can be expected, my development of the dark skills as I got older made me an increasingly more interesting person in his eyes. As a result he found it suitable to issue more details of his life, predominantly around his drinking exploits which were incredibly funny, rebellious and exciting.
When he passed away several years ago, I can say without shame that I wasn't sad. His health was badly deteriorating and he gave the impression of a man who had enjoyed himself (mostly) but was ready to call time. I was certainly pleased to have known him, and am kind of glad that there was at least one other member of the family that was as odd as myself.
I still can't quite figure how the traits jumped a generation though.
Wishing you a long life, Dan.
ReplyDeleteOn a darker note, I'm interested to know more about your 'dark skills'.
Generation-skipping traits, hmm. A lot of it's generational - with the succeeding reacting against the preceding. Yet a sense of humour is truly in built, isn't it?
Such a good point regarding generations rebelling against each other. Therefore, if I ever have kids you suggest that I behave the opposite to the way I wish for them to conduct themselves. Now that sounds like a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteDark Skills - actually that does sound pretty interesting and worthy of a blog entry. I shall put my thinking cap on for that one. I promised myself I would keep the blog to the standard of a gentleman though. And ofcourse, my dark skills would probably be considered laughably tame.