Young Pat Junior was a handful, and he loved him with all his heart. He was his father's son all right; he only hoped that he didn't have anything of his paternal grandfather inside him.
Young Pat Junior was quite a challenge for his father, who loved him deeply despite his difficult nature. There was a sense of pride in recognizing him as his father's son, yet there was also concern about whether he had inherited traits from his paternal grandfather, traits his father hoped to avoid.
The father's love for his son is intertwined with apprehension about the potential influence of the grandfather. This creates a complex relationship dynamic where admiration and worry coexist, highlighting the struggles of parenthood and the desire to break negative familial patterns.