A remarkable man, my idol, my grandfatherDr. Benre's comments: Marty paints a revealing portrait of his step-grandfather, but never simply tells the reader. Little anecdotes about his grandfather, as well as some of his habits, gave Marty's story a much more powerful presentation than it would have had if she had simply told readers that he was neat and kind. More importantly, it retains meaning in its story that travels from beginning to end. She uses her story to play on emotions without crossing the line into melodrama and makes a telling point in her conclusion. Marty wrote a great story, not just an essay about someone she remembers. Even though he weighed three hundred pounds, my grandfather was a very neat, well-kept, and respected man. His thick, ash hair always had to be perfect. From the direction of the piece to the brand of lacquer that held it in place, everything had to be perfect. His shirt was always tucked in and his belt always matched his shoes. Because of his enormous size, he had a height of seventy-eight inches, his legs reminded me of those of a penguin – short and stocky. Everything about him amused me, from his love of vacations to his constant chewing of ice to his incessant way of rubbing his feet. Even though he was my father's stepfather, he loved us as if we were his own. Several times during the year, he would organize what he called “family time,” bringing all thirteen grandchildren together in one place to socialize. He also had a great love for holidays. For example, we all spent Christmas Eve on the sea wall watching the bonfires, and during the days leading up to Christmas we drove through town enjoying the...... middle of paper ..... .the day he died, he taught me a valuable lesson. If we love someone, we should tell them so often. I sometimes wonder if he knew how much we loved him. All I have left are the memories we shared and the lessons he taught me, but they are great memories and exceptional lessons. My grandfather was an amazing man. Unfortunately, my son will never meet my grandfather, but I will instill in him the love for people that my grandfather so diligently instilled in me. I never thought of him as “big” or “different”. I just saw it as more to like. Even though he is no longer physically with me, I still do things with him in mind, wondering if he would approve or disapprove; I try to make the choice that I think he would admire. He taught me about life; he taught me love; and he taught me what was right. This remarkable man is my idol, my grandfather.