RECONNECTING HAS IT'S HURDLES! GETTING OLDER?
HIGH SCHOOL
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN GUILTY OF LOOKING AT OTHERS YOUR OWN AGE AND THINKING,
SURELY I CAN'T LOOK THAT OLD? WELL.... YOU'LL LOVE THIS ONE.
MY NAME IS BARBIE DOLL AND I WAS SITTING IN THE WAITING ROOM FOR MY FIRST
APPOINTMENT WITH A NEW DENTIST. I NOTICED HIS DDS DIPLOMA, WHICH BORE HIS
FULL NAME.
SUDDENLY, I REMEMBERED A TALL, HANDSOME, DARK-HAIRED BOY WITH THE SAME
NAME HAD BEEN IN MY HIGH SCHOOL CLASS SOME 30-ODD YEARS AGO. COULD HE
BE THE SAME GUY THAT I HAD A SECRET CRUSH ON, WAY BACK THEN?
UPON SEEING HIM, HOWEVER, I QUICKLY DISCARDED ANY SUCH THOUGHT. THIS
BALDING, GRAY-HAIRED MAN WITH THE DEEPLY LINED FACE WAS WAY TOO OLD TO
HAVE BEEN MY CLASSMATE.
AFTER HE EXAMINED MY TEETH, I ASKED HIM IF HE HAD ATTENDED MORGAN PARK
HIGH SCHOOL ..
'YES. YES, I DID. I'M A MUSTANG,' HE GLEAMED WITH PRIDE.
'WHEN DID YOU GRADUATE?' I ASKED.
HE ANSWERED, 'IN 1975.. WHY DO YOU ASK?'
'YOU WERE IN MY CLASS!', I EXCLAIMED.
HE LOOKED AT ME CLOSELY.
THEN, THAT UGLY,
OLD,
BALD,
WRINKLED,
FAT ASS,
GRAY-HAIRED,
DECREPIT
SON-OF-A-BITCH ASKED,
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN GUILTY OF LOOKING AT OTHERS YOUR OWN AGE AND THINKING,
SURELY I CAN'T LOOK THAT OLD? WELL.... YOU'LL LOVE THIS ONE.
MY NAME IS BARBIE DOLL AND I WAS SITTING IN THE WAITING ROOM FOR MY FIRST
APPOINTMENT WITH A NEW DENTIST. I NOTICED HIS DDS DIPLOMA, WHICH BORE HIS
FULL NAME.
SUDDENLY, I REMEMBERED A TALL, HANDSOME, DARK-HAIRED BOY WITH THE SAME
NAME HAD BEEN IN MY HIGH SCHOOL CLASS SOME 30-ODD YEARS AGO. COULD HE
BE THE SAME GUY THAT I HAD A SECRET CRUSH ON, WAY BACK THEN?
UPON SEEING HIM, HOWEVER, I QUICKLY DISCARDED ANY SUCH THOUGHT. THIS
BALDING, GRAY-HAIRED MAN WITH THE DEEPLY LINED FACE WAS WAY TOO OLD TO
HAVE BEEN MY CLASSMATE.
AFTER HE EXAMINED MY TEETH, I ASKED HIM IF HE HAD ATTENDED MORGAN PARK
HIGH SCHOOL ..
'YES. YES, I DID. I'M A MUSTANG,' HE GLEAMED WITH PRIDE.
'WHEN DID YOU GRADUATE?' I ASKED.
HE ANSWERED, 'IN 1975.. WHY DO YOU ASK?'
'YOU WERE IN MY CLASS!', I EXCLAIMED.
HE LOOKED AT ME CLOSELY.
THEN, THAT UGLY,
OLD,
BALD,
WRINKLED,
FAT ASS,
GRAY-HAIRED,
DECREPIT
SON-OF-A-BITCH ASKED,
'WHAT DID YOU TEACH???'
(TAKEN FROM THE INTERNET: SOURCE UNKNOWN.)
(TAKEN FROM THE INTERNET: SOURCE UNKNOWN.)
MID-TO LATE TWENTIES.....
WALKING ON 100 DEGREE DAY RIGHT BEFORE BYPASS SURGERY WAS NEEDED!!!!
ILLNESS TAKES IT'S TOLL! BUT I WAS STILL ME!!!!!
LOOK AT THE BUTTON- YOU PERVS!
THIS PAST SPRING EVEN BEFORE NEW MED MADE ME FEEL EVEN BETTER.
I WAS STILL STRUGGLING PHYSICALLY-BUT PUSHED MYSELF, AS I AM NOT GIVING UP ON LIFE. I WAS ON THE COUCH for 3 DAYS AFTER THIS TRIP....BUT IT WAS WORTH EVERY SECOND!
THE ABOVE PIC WAS TAKEN 5 YEARS AFTER THE PRE-ILLNESS PIC!
THE ABOVE PIC WAS TAKEN 5 YEARS AFTER THE PRE-ILLNESS PIC!
I still can't be up a full day..let alone work 8 hours! But I do what I can!
NO NEED TO ANSWER UNLESS YOU JUST WANT- THESE ARE JUST POSERS?
DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH AGING? LOSING PHYSICAL ABILITY?
WHY & WHAT BOTHERS YOU THE MOST?
DO YOU BELIEVE YOU ARE AS YOUNG AS YOU FEEL?
WOULD YOU NOT ATTEND A FUNCTION, DUE TO YOUR LOOKS, IF PEERS FROM CHILDHOOD WERE ATTENDING THAT YOU HADN'T SEEN SINCE THEN?
I AM STILL DELUSIONAL AND BELIEVE I CAN PLAY IN THE SUPERBOWL IN MY MIND--OR SURVIVE IN THE ALASKAN WILDERNESS ON MY OWN.
I ONLY ASK BECAUSE I THINK WE ARE ALL BEAUTIFUL. IT IS THE SOUL, SPIRIT, MIND AND HEART OF A PERSON I LOOK AT, RIGHT AFTER THE T&A.
TONSILS AND ADENOIDS!!! WHAT DID YOU THINK I MEANT????
LOVE TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF MY SPECIAL FRIENDS HERE, WHOM I CONSIDER THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE ON THE PLANET!!!
THEN I LOOK AND FEEL LIKE THIS!!!!
CAN I GET AN AWWWWWWWWWWWW!
JMc
When I turned 55 a couple of years ago it hit me that i wasn't 18 anymore. My O my, that was a revelation. But I weathered 17 different surgeries, since i was 19, for everything from broken neck and back to gall bladder removal Last year) and I now feel old at 21. I just hope as I age I am done breaking stuff.
ReplyDeleteand THANK YOU JOHN for your kind words about STINK.
*ahem* Johns readers I just received the 8th print run of STINK and the third print of The Line Between. *Hint hint*
This is honestly the most beautiful post I have ever read. From start to finish. And I truly mean it. Yeah, I'm about 2 years older that you, 17 in my mind but my body is like - what the hell,...arthritis? Cataracts? Surely not me. Thank-you for this post. I hope you continue to feel well. ~hugs~
ReplyDeleteI did graduate in 75 and when I looked at the photos of my 35th High School reunion (which I couldn't attend because I had to attend my son's wedding in another part of the country) I thought, who are these old people. But I also know I can't do what I did in my 20s and 30s--I doubt I'll another 30 mile day with a full pack again...
ReplyDeleteAwww da cute!!!
ReplyDeleteYou look and move and amuse pretty good, John! Keep it up :)
Aloha from Honolulu
Comfort Spiral
><}}(°>
CRAP! I just wrote a long comment and the damn thing vanished in front of my eyes. Okay, here's the short version
ReplyDeleteGREAT post! you look much better and more healthy now (congrats). My body feels like crap (too many injuries) but my brain is a spry and nimble as a 25 year old. As long as I have that, I'm doing fine!
1975? You're just a kid!
ReplyDeleteYou look great!
ReplyDeleteLoved the story and yes I've looked at other people of my age and thought I can't look that old!
Mark-- I want to do a Post on Stink. I will let you know before I Review it!
ReplyDeleteYour comments are too damn great!
Blessings Bro!!!
J
middle child- WOW! I... well...THANKS!
That is such a special comment!
HUGS BACK!!!!!!
John
sage- We are so close in all that we grew up doing....I hear and feel your pain about the Hiking.
God Bless my Friend!
John
Cloudia-- For YOU I will. I sooo enjoy life, and THANKS Dear Sis for the Encouragement!
HFSC,
J
Pat-- I HATE when that happens. Once, Heff said he did his in Word and then Copied to Blogger. GREAT IDEA, but I'm too lazy to click on the Icon...LOL! I like you just let the words flow, and I have lost many comments!
Thanks Buddy---You inspire me all the time to be My best! I so appreciate you!
John
Kay--LOL--I graduated in 1972--that was the person in the e-mail...but what's 3 years amongst friends---LOL!!!
Love your Blog and as always- your comments!!!!
J
Joe-- You are too kind my Friend! Thank you sir! When are you coming to the States Bro?
J
Awwww.
ReplyDeleteWell John - your eyes are the same and they are the windows to your soul, and if our souls are eternal then you are not far off from being that child.
I am annoyed that in my youth, I didn't realize all the gifts I had. No one ever told me! I only got negatives and this is very sad. I see those gifts declining now when I most appreciate their value. Inside, I am still about 14. I look in the mirror and I'm shocked because that person isn't the one inside. I have a lot of the same aches and pains I had at 19 - they are just worse now - except that I can cope better now than then.
In my dreams, I'm always about 24 or so but often contemporary with my kids and not married. Is that weird?
Awwwwwwwwwwww
ReplyDeleteGreat Post John, Getting a bit older with a few health problems does add some aches and pains, slow you down, and actually kick your rear on some days, for me anyways.
I still see myself as a young man until I look in the mirror and see someone who is looking like my dad staring back, there are a lot of things I still think I can do and yes I do more than I should but I suppose we all do.
I looked at pictures from my High School Reunion and thought Man these guys got old looking, so glad I didn't.
Looking good John there is so much difference between the pre illness pic and the post, I am proud of you my friend for being who you are.
Jeannie--What an awesome compliment! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteAnd NO--that it's not weird--I am the same way with my 22 y/o niece and Nephew and their boy and girlfriends. I think it's important to keep some individuality!
J
Jimmy- Thanks so much my Friend! I was startled by that Pre-surgery pic. I vowed to get OVER it, and to a degree-I have! I look at it to remind me of what could have happened!! I really shouldn't be here--except for I should- as God has not called me home yet.
Until that day--I'll Blog and Snap pics away!
Bless you Buddy,
John
Great post, John. You do look younger in the pic where you are older, too.
ReplyDeleteAs for aging...the older I get, the happier I get. I'm 34 so we'll see if that continues to be true ;)
RK--I had no idea how sick I was at that time. The difference was startling!
ReplyDeleteBut we are Forever Young--cue Rod Stewart!
Live everyday like it's the last Gal!!!
Hugs,
John
Hi John, Love the post. I don't worry about aging yet - just about to turn 34 - so way to go. But I come for a line of women who never grew old anyway - and I don't mean it in a sinister way - my great grandma died at 93 and she was still going out everyday and living her life like she was 50. My grandma, now 83 still goes out to hang out with her friends everyday and is just the coolest. My mom (GardeninFrance) just turned 59 today - grandma of 3, probably has more life and energy than most 20 year-old I know. Age is all in the head, so you can be young forever, wrinkles and a little of weight is just luggage from the journey :)
ReplyDeleteLa Cremiere-- Oh such a young one--and with that attitude and those jeans--whoops--genes-lol--you will never grow old!
ReplyDeleteLove the comment. You are the best!
Hugs
John
So you'll probably laugh at me, but I feel old (I'm 26). I found gray hair when I was 24, I'm starting to notice my face thinning in a way that makes me look older, my back hurts, some days I just want to stay home instead of go out and party, I am thrilled to get in bed at 10:00pm when I once swore I would never go to bed before 1:30am. I look at kids younger than me and I think how old I'm getting. My parents always told me it would happen to me but I didn't realize at the time how fast it happens!
ReplyDeleteCake Betch--AVOID 40! LOL...Not permanently--but that is the age when stuff actually FALLS off your body! You're just walking along and you hear a sound and--violla--there is a body part on the ground!!. And 8:30 is the New 1:30!!!
ReplyDeleteJ