My grandfather told the most amazing stories: Stories about the time he was asked to join training for the national football team when the regular goalkeeper hadn’t shown up, and he flew into the goal with the ball pressed against his chest. And about the time he met my grandmother, after peeking from outside through the window of his home to check if she was “worthwhile.” The air filled with cigar smoke, as I would listen to him tell me story after story while we played backgammon.