Contrast Essay #3

It is amazing to me how two people who love each other so much, enjoys each other’s company, and can’t imagine life without one another could be so different. As I peek through the window I see my father and grandfather sitting in the garage talking about who knows what. As I watch them drink their coffee, laughing and puffing away on cigarettes, I think about how much I love the two of them and how they have always been there for me. I find it hard to believe that two men with the same genes can be so different when it comes to their likes of women, their personalities and their attitudes.

My father has a controlling type of manner. He likes to take charge of any situation he is in. Whether it’s a project around the house, at work, or if someone needs a lending hand. Maybe his aggressive attitude comes from working for the State for the last 18 years and having to deal with the public calling in and griping that their road isn’t plowed good enough or the potholes are damaging their $100,000 vehicle. When it comes to my grandfather, he has a very mild tempo about him. Maybe because he is 72 years old and has lived a life of working hard as a truck driver so he appreciates someone else stepping in and taking charge while he sits back and observes. And if need be he is more than willing to jump in and help.

Both my grandfather and father enjoy telling stories especially around the campfire. My father however, tends to need to be the center of attention when there is a crowd of people. If he feels he isn’t being heard, he will end up in your face or giving you a poke to make sure you are paying attention to him. My grandfather on the other hand enjoys being heard but if no one is listening he will just keep on talking and not give a rip. He figures at some point someone will stop and give him a few minutes of their time. As long as you keep the fire going and the packs of smokes beside him he’s happier than a pig in shit.

My grandfather likes a woman who takes charge, who takes care of him, and most importantly feeds him. Maybe that’s the reason he has been married to my grandmother for 50 years. She cooks, cleans, and takes care of everything. He only has to be concerned with taking his naps and watching his favorite history channel shows. Then there’s dad. My father used to think he needed a woman who was passive, who wouldn’t care if he was out in the garage for hours and who would put up with his controlling manner. When you meet my step mom she comes across as being a shy, quiet woman that would put up with being told what to do. She has a heart of gold and anyone who meets her falls in love with her. My father quickly found out that she has her own ideas and opinions and she has given my dad a run for his money but he can’t imagine his life without her. He has figured out that a relationship is about two people and he can no longer be selfish.

As I get ready to go through the garage door to visit with my grandfather and my father, I thank God that they are in my life. They may be as different as night and day but I have a little piece of both of them in me and for that I’m grateful. They are both wonderful men with two different views in life, which has given me a life full of diversity and love. Without them, without their thoughts, feelings, advice and love, I would be nothing.