Three Quarters of a Century and . . .

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. . . The Piano Man 

It's nine o'clock on a SaturdayThe regular crowd shuffles inThere's an old man sittin' next to meMakin' love to his tonic and gin
He says, "Son can you play me a memory?I'm not really sure how it goesBut it's sad and it's sweet and I knew it completeWhen I wore a younger man's clothes"

        The Piano Man   Billy Joel


Mrs Dear Leader - My Own Piano Woman? Piano Gal? Piano Person?

Turning any of the big round numbers - 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 - is a big deal (okay, we make them a big deal.) However making it to one’s 75th birthday, as I recently did, is somehow different. It raises many very interesting questions chief of which is: how is this freaking possible?! One day you’re young and immortal and the next you’ve got gray hair, saggy arms and a slipping memory - you are three quarters of a century old, buddy!

Some how it brings Billy Joel's song Piano Man to mind.

“It’s sad and it’s sweet and I knew it complete . . .”

When I wore a younger man’s clothes in college in the mid 60’s I read a book that took place in 1974.  I remember thinking, my God, in 1974 I'll be 26, an old man. And now I’m 75? Really?! Hoo boy.


 
Live 3/4 of a century? Surely you jest! 



When I was young, it was like the perfect summer; one day drifting leisurely into the next with no end in sight. Now, the days speed by as if being pursued by a relentless debt collector - for a bill I do NOT want to pay.  




Lovely 52 yr old mom -  with insufferable son




Still, most of our days are made up of random and unimportant events - interspersed with moments of great joy, immense sadness or sheer terror. Some seem to shimmer as if they were just a dream while others glow like they happened yesterday - not 40 years ago. Collectively, those sad and sweet memories become who we are (Ooo, that's a big thought!) 

 




As an aside, I heard a great way to express life in three stages: Childhood, adulthood, and GEE, YOU LOOK TERRIFIC! (Demonstrating the lies we tell each other.) 

Toenail Clippers for seniors (I kid you not)








I kid people that I consider myself in "late middle age" and I really feel that way, at least physically. Then one day, you look up when someone is addressed as a senior citizen - and you notice everyone looking at you. Ruh roh. It’s not getting older that bothers me, though, it’s coming to grips with it. (Which I suppose I better do pretty soon.)


I often wonder if my dad thought about stuff like this. 

Dad - The Young Spendid Splinter





Probably not, he was a lot smarter than me.

They say getting old ain't for sissies but it's not all stooped shoulders and bald heads either. Studies indicate that people between the ages of 65 and 79 say those are some of their happiest years. On the other hand, we are apparently least happy between 45 and 59. Lots of theories why this may be true and I’m sure individual circumstances play a big role but, unsurprisingly, I have my own theory.

Now John at the bar is a friend of mine                                                                                              He gets me my drinks for free

And he's quick with a joke, or to light up your smokeBut there's some place that he'd rather be

He says, "Bill, I believe this is killing me" As a smile ran away from his face "Well, I'm sure that I could be a movie star If I could get out of this place"

It’s obvious that our 40’s and 50's are peak years of responsibility in our lives with kids, jobs and maybe aging parents. Very stressful. But there is something else. I wonder if our 40’s is also when we grasp, like John at the bar, that perhaps our big dreams of being the President, a top athlete - or a movie star - are probably not gonna happen. Now you are who you will always will be, pal.

There is also the little matter of understanding that you are now probably closer to the end of your story than the beginning. . .

Later we learn that maybe these things aren't all bad - possibly in our 60’s and 70’s.

Members of the MENSA Senior Golf League

So far we're all on this side of the grass (others of us, not so lucky)

I have often said that I am the luckiest man in the luckiest generation in the history of the world and nothing can change that view; great family, many good friends (most of whom are still vertical) and reasonably good health. I do have regrets, of course, the most important of which is the mess my generation and I have made of so many things in this country, left behind for our kids and grandkids to clean up. I also know that many people have a lot more sad than sweet memories and far less happy or short lives. For that I can only say I'm sorry, good forture - and genes - are not shared equally or fairly by fate and that sucks.

On the other hand, perhaps another positive thing about getting older is that we simply don't have as much time to waste on regrets.  

Finally - and coincidentally - my oldest kid asked me a short while ago if I would want to go back to my mid-30’s which is also said to be one of the happiest periods of life for most people. It was a serious question from someone who deserved a serious answer and not my gut reaction of OMG, YES! I did think about it. I thought of all the sad and sweet memories and decided that, no, I wouldn’t go back. I think - and hope - I’m a better man now than I was then. Also, I’ve gained a lot more than I have lost in all these years so I guess I shall just press on and see if I can make it to a Century.*  

(Of course, now if I could take all my accumulated wisdom back with me . . . hmmm)


I climbed a (small) mountain in Las Cruces.  Did pretty well too, only two guys on crutches and one with a walker passed me - hey, 75 ain't so bad!

* My dad made it almost to 79 and my mom to 92 so I got that going for me. Hopefully there's a few more tunes to be played and memories made.

Sing us the song, you're the piano manSing us a song tonightWell, we're all in the mood for a melodyAnd you've got us feelin' alright

Billy Joel will be 74 in May. Thanks, Piano Man, one more to go!


I wouldn't leave you hanging

Piano Man Billy Joel


Bonus: For people of a certain age, one of the greatest songs ever on one of the one the greatest albums ever.

Old Man Neil Young




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