Coady 1

Joshua Coady

Mrs. Dott

English III

December 5th, 2017

Who I Want to Be
1“I’m sorry” I squeaked as I looked at the ground. 3My grandfather “Papa” was

examining the metal pipe I had bent thinking I was super strong. 3My retired grandfather

had been a mechanic, a master carpenter, a businessman, and now my teacher. 1I was

standing in his shed filled with tools. 2He responded, “it’s ok,” but I didn’t get that

impression. 1I grabbed the pipe and bent it back. 3He pointed out that there was still a

dent in where it was bent. 1The dent would cause it to not work. 3I learned that

sometimes once an action is done, as much as you would like you cannot reverse it. 1I

was determined I wanted to be just like him.

1My grandfather's shed was always a place of wonder. 3He always seemed to be

able to make anything he imagined. 2He built boats, wooden toys, or create any part

needed to fix anything. 3I remember when we had just bought our camper. 2The hitch

was missing a part, so we went to work in his shed. 2We finally came out with the part

and it fit perfectly. 2He proved to me that nothing is too difficult to do if you just put your

mind to it, and a little effort.

3Fast forward a few years and I’m sitting on the floor of his shed again, the smell

of the aged wood, grease, and tools surrounds me. 1My curiosity of how an engine

worked motivated my grandfather to teach me. This was in spite of the fact he was in

the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. 2He was a master mechanic and I think how to
 Coady 2

work on engines was embedded in his DNA. 3He started the lesson when he slowly

pulled the cart out from under the table. On it was an old 1973 Ford Mustang engine

block. 2”Today,” he announced, “you are going to learn how an engine works.” 2He

slowly went about explaining each part, and how it created the force to push the car

forward. 1This had been his life work, all he had ever done. 2Not just on cars, but on

boats, and train engines; he was a smart man. 2After sitting on the floor for multiple

hours he finished by explaining how I won’t be learning about engines, but the new tech

your generation has. 2“Don’t spend your time on what’s not relevant Josh” and with that

he got up and left the shed.

2In the end, his Alzheimer's spiraled out of control and he went from normal to

being incapable of recalling anything. 3I remember visiting him in the hospital, he didn’t

recognize my mother but began to cry as he saw me, embarrassed by his condition.
1That next week he was gone. 3I learned that even when you remember nothing, an

elemental force such as love, can transcend thought. 3My grandfather is actually my

step-grandfather, but he loved my unconditionally. 3He was a smart, caring man and I

want to be just like him.

1: Simple Sentence

2: Compound Sentence

3: Complex Sentence