Mr K

I had never met him, this grandfather of one of Drew's friends. I had been hearing about him and he had been bringing Drew home from Robotics work sessions, saving me so much time, energy and gas. I wondered that he was so willing to drive clear across the city to pick the boys up in the late evenings, but I was extremely grateful.

Tonight I finally met him. What a delightful gentleman! And extremely knowledgeable about many topics. You could see his love of life and a zest for living emanating from his face. I introduced myself, and he shook my hand with a hearty grasp, introducing himself as Drew's adopted grandfather. How delightful considering Drew's own grandfathers live a good 4+ hours away.

While we waited for Drew to complete his tasks, we chatted about construction and I listened with interest while he talked about various building projects he has worked on over the years, including his own house and the church he attends. Drew told me he has a knack for fixing things. Parts that just wouldn't cooperate on the robot, parts that everyone had tried to persuade to work, he would touch and it would behave as expected.

No one dimensional person, this elderly man who obviously keeps himself active and very involved in his children's and grandchildren's lives. His happiness at being there was apparent, and a vivid contrast to most of us parents who had come directly from work, dinnerless and tired from driving in the horrible weather, only to find that the half hour meeting would stretch into an hour and a half while things got checked, inventoried and packed. Even the teacher was weary as he scrutinized every task on the checklist.

The big competition is this weekend. Nerves were raw, tempers tightly controlled. The tension was almost palpable. Yet there was Mr. K, cracking jokes, volunteering to do more than his fair share, keeping tabs on the boys, and smiling happily. How easy it would have been for him to be grumpy. It surely wasn't his responsibility to make this event happen with quality and grace. I know he suffers with arthritis pain, and had spent part of the day involved with another demanding project.

For a man in his seventies, he was an encouragement to all, and one of the first to purchase a couple of tee shirts in support of the team. Yes, I am happy for Drew to have such a mentor setting an example of integrity and good sportsmanship to follow. I wonder if that has helped Drew be better about getting going in the morning?