The issue of age has figured frequently in recent conversations.
When I was very young a nice fellow in our neighborhood would walk by our house on his evening stroll. Mr. Weld cut the figure of an older gentleman from central casting. He had a cane and the smell of his ever present cigar seemed to waft over the whole block. Quite understandably,my dad once chewed me out when, I,at Mr. Weld’s initiative, was discovered playing tug of war on the other end of his cane. Thankfully, there were no injuries.
Dad told me a story once about how he and his siblings cringed in embarrassment when his mother-then in her forties-volleyed a few tennis balls at a pubic park in their city.
It’s a good thing that times have changed. Octogenarians (and beyond) are seen competing in sporting events. Smarter living and advanced medicine has made a big difference. I have to admit I was worried when my father-then close to 80-competed in a Masters swimming event in Australia. It wasn’t so much the swimming…it’s that he rented a car in a country where they drive on the left side of the road.
I notice I don’t learn things quite as easily as I once did. Naps these days are more frequent. But I did get in an easy 5 mile lope on my 70th birthday earlier this month.
You may know that the fellow pictured at the top just turned 81. Good for him. This isn’t your father’s gerontology.