30 Comments
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Yuri Bezmenov's avatar

Great tribute to Sharpie. What a legend. Stubborn, combative, disagreeable traits are critical to civilization and seem to be inherited - it’s on us motherfuckers now.

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Flippin’ Jersey's avatar

Crusty curmudgeons are necessary, but few would want that moniker. It’s also a great band name.

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BRAD KOFFEL's avatar

“The totally brazen refusal to play along.” Brilliant observation.

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Disemelevatorized's avatar

What a great story. Have lots of kids and name one of them after him.

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JD's avatar

Love the last line

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stayin gold's avatar

Fantastic piece and a nice tribute to your grandfather. I think he would be very proud how his "motherfucker" turned out and what you're doing to try and right the ship

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Kim Rubinstein's avatar

You forgot the part about your grandfather throwing the donation paper at you while screaming in your face and then walking out the door and driving away somewhere in the car. That was the horrifying part that lingered forever ghostly in the family. And o think you were more like 8 or 9. Besides those things this is a moving and revelatory piece

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Draper Drapes's avatar

And honestly this addition to the story makes me like the grandfather even more

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Draper Drapes's avatar

Wait. Is this really Isaac’s mom?

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Jesse Dustin's avatar

Early life checks out

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Virtus in Fine's avatar

We bear those regrets - like a sack of shit on our shoulders - to the grave. All the while, unbeknownst to us, leaving behind a trail of fertile soil for those who follow behind us. That is, if we bear the sacks well, not leaving a mess for others to step in.

Thanks for the story.

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The Anti-Gnostic's avatar

"He would’ve hated Trump, just as my grandmother did, due to his bombast and bad manners."

I would have thought my father--a good-humored, kind, pure Burkean conservative--would have as well. But way back in 2015, we were discussing the upcoming GOP primaries and I mentioned I was considering voting for Trump. My dad and I were best friends. Our talks were always pleasurable and punctuated with all the wisecracks and inside jokes that we guffawed over to the exclusion of everyone else. But my dad straightened up and got a really solemn look on his face and he said, "Oh, you have to."

I wish he were still around. He would be relishing these days.

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Clarence Boddicker's avatar

Excellent piece, makes me miss my own grandfather even more.

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ReadingRainbow's avatar

Got any kids?

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Isaac Simpson's avatar

Yeah

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Lucien's avatar

A rather disgusting tribute to mindless spite. I don’t recognize any moral code or value in what you write. There seems to be an increasingly contagious view, though, that this is something to be proud of. Feeling it does not make it so.

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Isaac Simpson's avatar

hey question Lucien: how did you find this piece? I'm noticing sudden influx of people who disagree.

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Lucien's avatar

I just got it on my notes page and decided to give it a read. I hesitated to comment since I’m not sure I had something constructive to say, but decided to say my piece in the end.

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Chris Bray's avatar

FUCKING brilliant piece of writing, here.

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Isaac Simpson's avatar

Thank you Chris! Means a lot coming from you!

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SleeplessInMichigan's avatar

Wow! Awesome writing!

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King Salmon's avatar

I enjoyed this.

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Warmflash's avatar

Fantastic work.

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Wes N's avatar

Thank God for those awful regrets of our childhood, as they form the foundation of an adulthood with fewer of them.

Your grandfather reminds me a lot of my dad, and with an apparent uncharity that is misunderstood by part of his family. The older I get, though, the more I find myself in line with him.

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