- Before the Internet provided us all with unlimited responses to everyday questions, there was my father. When I was a little girl, I’d entertain myself my asking him whatever question popped into my head, from why the sky was blue (something to do with the Earth’s atmosphere and light refraction) to what makes jellyfish glow in the dark (I’ve forgotten most of the finer points of bioluminescence) to why I have square feet (genetic superiority, according to him. They’re by far the best design for comfortably going barefoot.) No matter how random the question, he always had an accurate answer.
He’s still got it. This morning, during a 27-minute commute to school, over the phone, he
- Taught my son how to solve a geometry problem
- Told him how to safely dispose of sulfur dioxide in answer to a science question and
- Still had time left over to gently chide us about waiting until the last minute to do homework
When we hung up, my son asked in an awed voice, “Is there anything GranDad *doesn’t* know?” Probably not if it’s worth knowing 😀
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