Physically my grandfather was a big man, six-one to six-two and not an ounce of fat anywhere on him. Even though he was big, he never really gave the appearance of being that overpowering. He was by no stretch of the imagination a body builder type. His strength came from years of strenuous backbreaking work. His strong muscular arms were made complete with rough, callused hands the size of country hams. With the exception of Sundays when he wore a drab olive suit with one of those wide flowered small knotted ties, my fondest recollections of my grandfather have him dressed in Osh Kosh (b'Gosh) overalls with a pouch of Beechnut chewing tobacco or cigars in the bib pocket, a tan work shirt, laced up brogan work boots, and a straw hat with a dark green plastic sun shade in the end of the front brim. I can almost see him now standing with his right hand clasping his left wrist behind his back, knees slightly bent, with a chew of tobacco in his jaw looking around at the heavens to see if he could detect a hint of a rain cloud. My grandfather was also a unique individual, a heart of gold encased in a rough exterior, that at times could have brought tears to many a grown man's eyes. "Papaw," as he was lovingly known by his four grandsons, had the tendency, as long as I can remember, to fuss at the least little provocation, so much so that my grandmother often said, even from the time we were very small, "Don't pay Papaw no 'tention. He just likes to quarrel." This abrasive character of my grandfather, coupled with his dry sense of humor and his unique approach to every situation, made for some wonderfully humorous remembrances of him. Even though I have taken some literary license in filling in the details of which I had no firsthand knowledge, this book essentially contains the essence of various events that involved my grandfather. As Papaw's eldest grandson I could not help but share these fond remembrances of him, since I love relaying a good story, especially if it's laced with truth and can produce, if not audible laughter, at least a healthy smile. For those of you who have had the joy of knowing a grandfather, I hope these stories will bring to mind memories of that special individual in your life. For those of you who have not been so fortunate, I offer to share the joys of my own special memories of a very special grandfather.