Minding his business

I met an elderly man today with whom I hope to do business. He is 88 years old, not in the market for advice, and will change his terms on a whim. Anyone who doesn't care for his terms is welcome to go elsewhere. However, he was not unhappy to show lovely, old photos of himself, as a child, riding in a homemade cart pulled by a goat outside of the home in which he has resided for 85 years. This duality reminds me of my father, and so I liked him tremendously. Contrary to first appearances, he is not entirely a

curmudgeon
noun
An ill-tempered person full of resentment and stubborn notions.
"curmudgeon." The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. Answers.com 17 Jan. 2006. http://www.answers.com/topic/curmudgeon