"I didn't even tell you I had one," I said in some concern. "Are you sure it's mine?"
"Yep. I was surfing some forums, and I found the link on one of them. It's definitely yours."
I looked at my 80something year old grandad for a couple of seconds.
"You were surfing some forums? Which forums?"
"You know. Just online forums about this job thing. It's very interesting. And did you know that one of your radio interviews is on Youtube? There's a video and everything."
I looked at him again, Ginger Nut poised to my lips.
"Is it?"
"Yes. Very entertaining."
"Could you send me the link?" I said after a pause. "Because I don't know if I'm going to be able to find it on my own."
This, I think, is one of the many reasons my grandad is so amazing. While I am still battling with Twitter (seriously, what does it do?), while my mother continues to send emails accidentally in italics, while I am still showing my father how to vote for me - every single time he votes for me - my octogenarian grandad is happily surfing the internet, collecting my coverage and monitoring forums for any additional information that might help my cause. He is technologically both fearless and curious, and nothing daunts him. It's just another example of astounding courage: of being able to adapt to and embrace the new, as well as holding on to everything traditional that still means something.
"Is there anything up there I should know about?" I said in a small voice. "Anything I might not want to read?"
"If there is," he said, grinning at me, "then I'll make sure it comes straight down again."
Grandad, thankyou. For policing the internet for me, and for proving to me yet again that there is nothing out there too daunting if you have the courage to take it on the chin.
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