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One day last summer, I went to lunch with my son Dustin and my granddaughter Madeleine, who at the time was four. I was telling Maddie a story from the old days about my great uncle Sidney Smith from Savannah.

Uncle Sidney was an executive with the Central of Georgia Railroad, and he was a formal and proper gentleman. No matter the occasion, he wore the same attire: suit, vest, tie, and hat.

But Uncle Sidney was no stuffy executive. He was droll, twinkly-eyed, and wonderfully avuncular. He was warm and quick to laugh. He had a good-natured air about him that made the family kids happy to be in his company.

When I was growing up, my branch of the Smith family tree went home to Savannah once or twice a year. When we saw Uncle Sidney, it was usually after an absence of some months.

When we showed up at his house, he always asked each kid in turn, “How’s your behavior?”

The proper response: “Impeccable!”

After I told the story to Maddie, she said, “Okay, ask me about my behavior.”

“Well, Maddie,” I said, “How’s your behavior?”

“In-peccable!” she replied.

To which Dustin added, “Ha!”

The avuncular Uncle Sidney.