I still remember getting the call... it was a few days after Christmas and my younger brother and I were playing in the basement.

It was my uncle, asking for my mother.

We were on the way to florida that afternoon.

Turns out he had a stroke and wasn't doing too well.. but the only thing that I felt was anger at my grandmother for not helping him quickly enough. Granted, I didn't really know the man very well, but he was still my grandpa.

Now it's 4 years later and I miss him like I never did when he was alive. I wish that I hadn't been so.. reluctant to get to know him. But, then again, I was just a teenager.

My mom says that I am a clone of him... We act the same, look the same, have the same ideals. I just hope that I can grow into his image... without having known him.