I had the best childhood in the sense of not only having loving and supportive parents but also grandparents. In fact, I am lucky enough to call my Mommom and Poppop two of my best friends. Whether it was cheering me on at my field hockey games, attending every single dance recital or just rating my dives into their pool – they have always supported me in everything that I do. To this day my Poppop keeps my most updated business card in his wallet. So, when I landed an interview for a college internship with one of the most esteemed country clubs on the east coast, it was only natural to fill them in on the news. 

Now my grandfather is a golfer; spending his retired years working at a golf course. So the fact that I could potentially be spending my summer working on a Championship Course in Philadelphia was really exciting news to him. I told him the details of the interview and how excited I was to attend. It was then that he said, “I don’t want you getting lost, I’m coming along.” If you know my grandfather you know that negotiation isn’t really an option. So I agreed to take my Poppop on an interview. 

The day of the interview came and we embarked on our journey to Philly. I was used to traveling a bit, going to and from school fairly often so navigating directions wasn’t what I was nervous about. I did make a wrong turn on the way there so his wisdom was certainly not lost on me. We arrive at the club and – It. Is. Huge. The grounds were beautifully landscaped, the course looked pristine. It truly was a dream. We get out of the car and my grandfather is just in his element, I could just tell. We walk into the main clubhouse together and he tells me that he’s going to explore while I have my interview. The whole time I am wondering if the manager would think it was strange that I brought my grandfather to an interview. Afterall, it is definitely not common practice BUT I was sure it would definitely set me apart from the other candidates. As we were waiting, the receptionist greeted us and I explained that I was here for an interview and that this was my grandfather, Mr. Duka. She quickly came around the desk and said “Why Mr. Duka, would you like a tour?” And just like that, Poppop was whisked away by the receptionist and given the grand tour. I wait about ten more minutes and then am greeted by the General Manager that I had previously met at the career fair. He walks me to the room that our interview is in and along the way we pass my grandfather and the receptionist. He is holding an ice water and just has the look of pure joy listening to the history and architecture of the club. “Sarah, who do you have here?” My Poppop points to me, “I’m with her.” I look at the General Manager, “That’s my grandfather, he wanted to come along.” He looks at me and smiles, “That is the most fantastic thing I have ever seen.” 

The interview went smoothly. I was confident but after hearing that they were interviewing ten different candidates, I felt a little uneasy. The General Manager walks me out and I am told that they are making decisions by the end of the week and to stay tuned. My grandfather’s tour had ended at this point as well and we both left the clubhouse reeling from how beautiful the club is and how great of an experience it would be to get the internship. I couldn’t help but smile driving home, knowing that we had just made a memory. 

A few days later I got a call from the General Manager… We got the job.

Written By: Kristin DeBias