Describe one of your grandparents

I'd like to describe my grandfather, Rustam-aka, who is my father's father. He's seventy-nine, tall and slightly bent now, with white hair and a grey moustache. He wears the same dark cap whenever he goes out, and his eyes are very kind.

He's a calm, thoughtful person and extremely patient. Before he retired, he worked as a school teacher for forty years, and I think that explains why he enjoys explaining things so much. He also has a dry sense of humour, which takes a moment to notice, but it's very funny once you do.

We do a number of things together. During my school holidays, I used to stay with him in the countryside, where we watered the garden, fed the chickens, and played chess on the porch. He taught me the game when I was seven, and he let me win just often enough to keep me interested. These days, since I live in the city, we mostly talk on the phone every Sunday, and I visit during the major holidays.

From him I've learned many things. First, he has taught me the value of patience; he says that most problems become smaller if you wait and think. Second, I've learned about our family's history, because he tells wonderful stories about his youth and our ancestors. Finally, I've learned that being kind costs nothing.

I feel very lucky to have him. I record some of his stories on my phone, so that I will always remember them.