zero

My grandpa has passed, but periodically i remember with passive fondness, some of his delightful banter. He once said, "jimmy, count to 7,000 for me." And i started, "one,"
"WRONG!" He immediately interjected. And then he explained that no proper system of counting could begin without an acknowledgement of zero. There cannot be a complete understanding of one without zero. And he finished that sentence by cuffing me in the back of the head, and settling back into his recliner. The next visit, or next randomly divined visit...grandpa waited until i was within striking distance and here it came..."jimmy, count to 7001 for me."
"Okay, grandpa." I took a deep breath..."zero"
"WRONG!" and the cuff behind the head came before the explanation. "Zero is nothing, the absence of value, why would it matter? I asked you to count, not to take all known variables into consideration and then enlighten me with your useless infantile philosophy." Brief pause. "go tell your mother you disgust me, and after that, let's speak no more of this."
I agreed, without any level of sentience.
I think he was teaching me something. But, I just wished he was dead. I got my wish. One.