DelBloggolo: OWNING THE ROAD

Saturday, May 16, 2015

OWNING THE ROAD

Q. Who does a pharaoh talk to when he's sad?

A. His mummy!

Being I am now a senior citizen, it comes with certain perks, which I will probably turn into quirks. I’ve always looked at senior citizens as people older than me, but it is starting to look like there are people younger than me who are senior citizens, and this is causing some confusion.

When I was a youngster, my dad was looking for directions once and saw this senior citizen standing in front of a store and so he stopped asked the gentleman for directions. He started out by saying: “Pops, can you tell me where so and so is?” This of course struck me as a little strange, since the old boy responded by giving us directions. Dad was maybe in his late thirties when he approached the man and I wondered why the old gent wasn’t offended. Equally wondering was the idea of knowing his name: “Pops”. This kind of behavior probably came from the streets of Brooklyn when he was growing up. Maybe the man reminded dad of his father.

I used to speed about, rushing and practically running from point A to point B, never pausing but always in a hurry, while in my mid-twenties. I was in a hurry, had to get there and back, and needed to keep up with the traffic flow. Once before I was married, I was told that my fiancés family and mine were planning a bridal shower and could I please keep her busy for the day while they decorated and set up the food. So off to New York City we went, as I knew we had to be back by a certain time and not a moment earlier. As we traversed the streets of Manhattan, I started walking fast to get to the train station and back home. She complained I was walking too fast. Then there was the time in Montreal when I hit the city traffic and drove like all the French Canadians, that is recklessly if I wanted to survive and she once again complained this time about my driving.

Now things have change! I am in command and not the traffic. I decide how fast I’m going and won’t be pushed around. I don’t give ground and I don’t hurry for others, and dammit, if I want to leave my blinker on I will.

I kind of own the road, but I own it for all the senior citizens who want to stay alive, so get over it people, us old coots are still a majority and getting stronger, even though we are dying off!