The Stackhouse Fillibuster

 I am watching an episode of the West Wing from many years ago called the Stackhouse Filibuster, an episode narrated by the voices of all the main characters writing emails to their fathers, an episode in which a grandfather stands up for his grandchild and and refuses to be ignored, even in the face of overwhelming opposition, and makes change by being a stubborn old bastard who loves his grandchild more than just about anything.   And it is so moving that all the characters write their fathers about it.  It features this quote, one of my favorites in all of television:


"Don't ever, ever underestimate the will of a grandfather. We're madmen, we don't give a damn, we got here before you and they'll be here after. We'll make enemies, we'll break laws, we'll break bones, but you will not mess with the grandchildren."

And it made me miss my grandfather.  I miss my grandfather and the sense of legacy I felt when talking to him, the sense of being utterly and profoundly protected, like I had a wily old man ready to devote any and all of his considerable resources to knocking boulders out of my way or shouting down anyone who dared to harm me.  And it made me miss my father, who I should probably email to say hi and see how he's doing.