Please weigh in: Is this a good idea or not?
The parking lot of a bank is an unlikely spot for either a huge argument or a nice idea. But the other day, I was a witness to the first and the author of the second. The scene was a typical one: Eight parking spaces in the bank’s lot, including one clearly marked for those who have a handicapped hang tag. The traffic jam in the bank lot was pretty typical, too. All eight spaces... READ MORE
Counting one’s blessings despite tears
You know what they say about rain. Into each life some of it must fall. But gushers of it? Count your lucky stars if that has never happened to you. I’m counting mine after a tear-soaked dinner recently with a woman I hadn’t seen in more than 50 years. She was a high school classmate, but we were not close. We hadn’t laid eyes on one another since that day in 1962, when all... READ MORE
Today’s shiftless youngsters don’t get it
There are many ways for a 20th-century baby to feel his or her age: —When some youngster says he has just discovered this cool rock group called The Beatles. —When you realize that Watergate happened almost 50 years ago. —When your knees crack and clatter every time you stand up. —When you mention the unforgettable date of November 22, 1963 to an all-younger crowd and... READ MORE
No memories are better than HS football
Open a can of memories and old guys will rush in to say they were there. Business. War. Politics. Travel. But perhaps more poignantly than most, football. As the calendar flips to the fall months, a young man’s fancy often turns to his gridiron glories of yesteryear. As the saying goes, they get more glorious with each passing decade. It can be very hard for younger people to... READ MORE
Waxing nostalgic over phones of yore
My grandmother, bless her 19th century heart, never got it about telephones. When she would pick up the boring-black handset in her living room, she would furiously click the two black buttons that popped up. She said she was clicking to attract the attention of the operator. “But, Grandma,” I would say, in my eight-year-old wisdom, “it’s all automatic. There’s no... READ MORE
Retirement: It’s all in how you look at it
Once upon a time, retirement was about gold watches, golf and trundling off into the sunset. You served your time. Now you can kick back and do everything your way, on your schedule. No more awful bosses. No more commuting. Just endless smiles and jelly doughnuts, all day, every day. Of course, the reality of retirement is a lot more complicated, and always has been. If health... READ MORE
What’s the (cashless) world coming to?
Some signs of aging are very obvious and very expected. Knees that ache. Hair that disappears. Names that you can’t quite recall. Pounds that you can’t wish or walk away. But what in the world are we oldies going to do about the latest in retailing? Cash not accepted. I smacked face first into this utterly 21st-century trend the other day when I popped into a local coffee place ... READ MORE
It’s never too late to own a muscle car
My friend Russ is a solid, predictable citizen: College professor, husband, father, non-profit volunteer. But he has a sideline that is not only unpredictable but wonderful: He sells vintage cars to senior citizens. Russ does this all by himself, and he does it for only a small profit. But the real reason he does it is, in his words, “to bring some nostalgia and some pleasure to... READ MORE
Being judged on age, rather than merit
My boyhood friend Roger has a resume that’s as gold-plated as gold-plated gets. Honor student in high school (please don’t ask if I was, too). Ditto in college (I told you not to ask). First in his class in law school. Practiced law at a big firm for about 20 years. Then Roger was appointed a judge in New York State. He has been hearing cases — and tolerating overwrought... READ MORE
Making plans for a grandchild on the way
You’ll forgive my puffed-out chest and my 24-hour smile. My wife and I are about to become grandparents for the first time. Put it this way: Yipppeeeeeeeeeeeee! This little boy (yes, it’ll be a boy) will not lack for attention — or for engaged “grands.” My wife will immediately teach him how to make her signature salad dressing, and how to endure his grandfather’s... READ MORE
