My grandfather, Papa, was we called him, was one of those guys that everybody liked. He was a world war two veteran, loved a good steak. Loved cars and women.

He was a really heavy guy but that didn't stop him. He would have girlfriends come and visit; quite a couple of times we'd come to my grandfather's apartment and there would be some woman there chatting him up. Even in his old age, he still had it. I'm fortunate enough to have inherited his ability to charm a lady, somehow.

He was the only person who my mom felt safe around; she had a really torturous childhood, which sort of explains mine. My mom deified him a little, to the point that when he got sick when I was little, we were always going to the hospital. Always. Three, sometimes five days a week. I remember doing my homework in the lobby of one hospital, playing "penny hockey" with my sister in another. I got used to eating out of a vending machine. I'm pretty sure one of the reasons I overeat is because I used to stuff my feelings, like when I was a kid at the hospital.

He passed away when my family was on a trip to London and we found out after we got out of the taxi outside of my mother's house. My oldest uncle stepped out of my mom's house, then my other uncle, then my mom's mom.

My sister and mom burst into tears but I didn't. I knew that my grandfather was at peace and no longer going to dialysis three days a week. I knew that he wasn't angry at God anymore; he was with God.

As I was dusting, I grabbed this classic car that he gave me. It was porcelean and until today, I hadn't really examined it. It's a 1937 beige Cord phaeton convertible. I have always treated this piece like it was special. I don't let people handle it, even if it gets dusty as all hell sometimes. As I flipped it over and saw the 1937 Cord, I was drawn to the logo at the bottom; 1984, made in Brazil. It made me smile and made me think that the meaning I had to this car, probably was a lot less than it's worth financially.

Of course I googled it. It's worth $5 to $15. After looking closer, it was made by Avon for Father's Day that year.

It kind of makes me smile how precious I'd been with this item but it also makes me think about how it's just about the memories it evokes. It's a cool piece with a cool story. I think those are more valuable than the things worth the big money.