Happy Grandparents' Day to all you old geezers out there!


My dad was a strict disciplinarian. Earl Jr. and I could get away with nothing, though we tried with much determination.

But as a grandfather to my daughter, he turned into a completely different creature. I could not so much as raise my voice a little to correct her when around him without his fussing at me for speaking too harshly to her. Unbelievable. I can still see him carrying her around the grove, when she was first learning to talk, and getting her to say to the folks at the family reunion, "I'm Pappa's boy!" Just to aggravate me who was trying to teach her basic concepts like colors, numbers, animal sounds, and the fact she was a girl.

Best regards to each and every one of you Great Indulgers who soften the sometimes too exacting expectations of well-meaning parents,

WW