I met a man tonight who is 77 years old. He had been married for more than fifty years. His wife had Parkinson's for 20 years. She needed nearly constant medical care for five years. He was the care. For the last eight months of her life, she couldn't speak. And he was there all the time.
He has since married again. His wife was there at the class I was teaching. He'd come along to make sure he knew about the machine as well. I told him that if he got bossy, he would have to work on his own at the other end of the table.
At the end of class, the other woman in the class started asking them questions. His new wife is his old sister-in-law. They've been friends for as long as he had previously been married. His new wife was the matron of honor at his wedding fifty some years ago. And the old wife's brother was the new wife's ex-husband. She divorced the old husband.
Then the other woman in class asked, "Do you work out?" And he stood up a little straighter and pulled in his belly and said that he never stops moving all day long. Always busy, that's him.
And yet somehow, it seemed like he was talking about virility. It was that way he stood up and pulled in his belly. The way he said, "biologically, I'm closer to thirty." If he looked thirty, I could understand what he meant. But he looked older than thirty. So what biological function would he be talking about with me? Colon health? Possibly heart function. Joint mobility? No way. He was talking about virility. And especially after the other woman in class asked if he worked out, well now really.
So, being who I am, I said what was on my mind. "Honey, looks like you married a stud!"
And she said, "You're telling me?" Then she smiled and winked.
I laughed and turned bright red, I'm sure. I love being me. Even if it's embarrassing, it's pretty fun.
Posted by dotty at August 13, 2003 12:28 AM