I'm not exactly sure how I came across it. I think I was searching for a list of Vermont high school hockey state champions. I wanted to see how many times my school had won since my teams did in 1971 and 1972.

But I discovered an obit for the father of one of my long-ago teammates. He died on the first of this month.

At the time I knew him, he was an FBI agent. As a teenager, I had an image of him as a bit of a hardass. And I knew he and his son battled about all sorts of things.

But in the obituary, accompanied by a photo of a sweet-faced old guy, there was a mention of how much he loved animals and how his 23 grandchildren called him "Big Grampa."

Sorry I judged you before I had all the facts, Mr. Curran. R.I.P.

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