"Changes"
I have come to the conclusion that age makes
many changes, some not so good, some even to the betterment of the whole. I
remember things and compare them to things of today. Some times I am elated and
some times I am not. It is true, the more things change the more they remain the
same.
Just take memory as an example. I remember my first kiss, my first car,
my first flight, but for the life of me I cannot remember what I had for lunch.
I even remember my first shave. And now I do that a little as possible. I
remember my first date and all the time and preparations, a week of picking out
the right clothes, three days finding a restaurant, picking the movie took a
month. Now taking the wife out to eat is like this:
"You going to cook?"
"No, are you?"
"NO."
"Let's go out!"
It takes a total of about 8 seconds. And they say you slow down with age!
Sleeping through a thunderstorm was nothing a while back. I would wake up
the next day and say, "Oh, it rained." I even slept through a tornado
once. Now if the cat walks across the carpet I am up like a shot. Who said your
hearing gets worst as you get older?
Eating has improved also. Time was when I seasoned everything with the
shakers on the table. Then last night, it only took one taste to know there was
too much salt in the soup!
Growing up in a small town in the panhandle of
And driving is better. At the age of eighteen I had a 300 horse power
Ford. Today I have 300 horse power Ford, but the tires last twice as long and
the fuel takes me twice as far. That's much better, though now days not as
cheap!
Trips to the barber shop came around ever two weeks back then and took an
hour. Now, with more hair on my face than on my head, the trips are every two
months and take only fifteen minutes. Saves me time and money, though not enough
to offset the price of tires and fuel!
It also seems that the kids are growing up a lot faster. In the sixties
we watched in awe as the girls, age fifteen to nineteen, slowly developed into
young women. Now days it is ages thirteen to fifteen, it happens over night,
there are more of them, and with a substantial increase in the quantity of
development. Yes, sir! My eyes still work!
I do take issue, however, with this part of my life being called 'The
Golden Years'. They are, as the color of what hair I have left attest to, more
like my 'Silver Years'!
Then there are the things that have changed and not for the better.
When I was younger I slept on the ground and on the floor and even got a
good night sleep in a motel. Now if I am not in my own bed the night is wasted.
I have even noticed that textures are different. Years ago cotton sheets were
good enough, but now it has to be 340 thread count percale or I am awake all
night!
Numbers have changed too. A mile is still a mile but it takes longer to
move from one end to the other, therefore it must be longer. The inseam of my
pants is the same but my thirty-inch waist can no longer be encompassed by a
thirty-six-inch waist band. My size 7 ½ Stetson
that use to perch majestically atop my furry head now rest on my eyebrows and
the tips of my ears.
The days have gotten shorter and the nights longer. Stairs have gotten
steeper and fifty-degrees Fahrenheit has gotten colder. A mile is now longer but
an inch is now shorter. A pound is heaver, I know because I cannot carry as
many. Thank God and Seagram's that my 7-Crown still comes in a fifth!
Yes, there have been many changes. And I have lived through, and adjusted
to, all of them. Oh to be eighteen again and know what I know now! Wait! I am
having a vision! No, that's a bad idea! That vision conjured up prison time!
Page Copyrighted © December 30, 2003, Short Grass Enterprises, Inc.
All rights reserved
All essays Copyrighted © by Short Grass Enterprises, Inc.
All rights reserved