Old Dog Learns New Trick

The other night we drove into L.A. to hear Ken Burns speak about his upcoming series on the Vietnam War.  We arrived early and went up to the rooftop bar in the hotel next to the theatre.  This place was packed with a couple of hundred young people along with just a few older folks.  Next to the bar was a small swimming pool stocked with bikini clad young women sunbathing...two or three accompanied by their little dogs.  In the bar, the guys looked like guys always do to me in their T-shirts and shorts.  The women though were very fashionable...starlet like...tattooed...scantily clad...and their blatant sexuality kind of blew my mind.  Everyone seemed to be having a fabulous time.  Southern California.  Got to love it.

With no seats available we took our drinks and stood at the edge of the building looking at the impressive city view.  A few minutes later a young man and his girlfriend who were leaving came over to us and graciously offered us their seats.  It was a very nice thing for them to do and we appreciated it.  Apparently though, we now look so old that young people are feeling sorry for us- teetering geezers about to have a heart attack from standing for a couple of minutes.  Shit.

I admit that getting older and turning 70 annoys me.  Heck, it doesn't just annoy me it really pisses me off.  How can I appear to be old when I'm so immature?  How could my body do this to me?  Hey, I could party with these young people for hours and have a fabulous time!  Now though, I don't fit in.  Yes, those young people were very nice and they would humor me for a bit... but it just wouldn't work.  You know it wouldn't.

After finishing our drinks we walked into the theatre and sat down.  Most everyone in the audience seemed to be our age and at least half of them had some serious physical difficulties.  We fit right in.  

Depressing.

This theatre was a beautiful old Art Deco palace.  We were seated way up in the balcony.   It was dark and the steps were steep.  Starting up the steps was an old man and his middle aged son.  The old man was really struggling.  Grey, stooped, limping, almost blind...he very slowly approached our row.  I wasn't sure he'd make it.  I stepped out of my seat into the aisle.  He got within two steps of me.  Both of our arms reached out at the same time.  His grip was strong.  I helped him up.  No words were said.  His son whispered a thank you.

Then it hit me.  I didn't care if he was old and frail.  It was no shame on him.  It felt really good that I could help a fellow human being in some way and I felt better about getting older myself... and having others think that I'm old.  What a realization! Those young people probably felt great giving us their seats.  Maybe it made their day.  It's all ok!    

70 though?  Screw that.

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Ken Burns series on the Vietnam War starts on PBS September 17th.  This war affected us all and still does to this day.  Don't miss it.

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