My grandfather (or Pop-Pop, as we called him) was generally a gruff and grumpy guy who disliked being around people and noise. He lived with our family during his last years, an arrangement and a phase of life that was extremely difficult for him. But he loved Letterman. So much that he would go to bed at 6pm, set an alarm for 11:30, wake up and watch Letterman, and then go back to sleep. This was despite us repeatedly offering to set the VCR timer for him. I could often hear laughter coming from his room late at night. Sometimes I would join him. It was one of the true joys of his day, and a spot of connection between us. I was an angsty and self-absorbed teen and he was struggling with depression and despair. But we had Letterman. One of my best memories of my Pop-Pop.
