The "To Placard, Or Not To Placard" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Checking out the Obituary page in the newspaper to see how many people younger than me died. Then I start thinking how unfair it is to die so young while the rest of us older folk get to live longer.  But, that thought dissipates rather quickly and I continue to the Sports page in the paper.  At times Carol and I talk about our friends and acquaintances and mention to one another that we don't look as old as that couple or than person.  Do we?  Then I point out the Anniversaries that are listed in the newspaper and show her some of the photos.  "No way do we look that old!" I'll say to her.  "And, I think that when we have our 50th Anniversary picture in the newspaper in a couple of years, we should put one of our vacation photos in from maybe ……. five to ten years ago.  One where we are nice and tan and enjoying our vacation."  Naturally, she agreed with me.  So, I'm starting to think, just how old is old?  When I first got married I didn't even think of my mom and dad as old.  I naturally thought I was young.  Of course that was just about 50 years ago and they weren't old at the time.  When my children starting getting married I still didn't think I was old, but I did notice that my parents were starting to get older.  That was when I was in my late 40s and people our age back then thought that people who were starting to retire were old.  Then when I turned 50 I thought that people who were in their late 60s were old, or at least getting old.  And, even when I turned 60 I didn't think about being old since you didn't get old until you were in your mid to late 70s.  Wow, those people who were dying in the newspaper who were younger than me really got a bum deal.  Soon I will be 70 and I know I'm not old, yet.  I still work at three different jobs and paint my house, mow my lawn, shovel my snow, rake my leaves and ……… therefore I'm not old.  I don't know what I would do if I got old.  That won't happen until I turn at least 80.  Right?  But then I opened my latest AARP Magazine (I'm sure you think if I get an AARP Magazine, I must be old, but you're wrong, you know) saw that men in their 70s thought that being 70 was old, but women though that men were old when they were 68 while their own sex didn't turn "old" until they were 75.  Gonna have to spend more time with my buddies, I guess.  Nah, that's not any fun and they certainly are less interesting to look at than the women.  Anyway, they look old to me.  If I had the same physical problems 20 years ago that I have today, I would have thought I would never make it to 70 while I now feel less bothered by those same problems, since I don't have a choice and don't care to let them bother me.  

I must confess that I did call the doctor recently to ask if I could have a placard to hang on my car mirror so I can park closer to the entrances of places I visit.  The receptionist at the doctor's office said, "Oh, you mean a "handicapped sign", don't you?'  "Noooo, I didn't say that, you said that.  I call then a placard," I replied.  After the laughter subsided, she said she would check with him.  Still waiting on her answer.  Perhaps my placard will arrive sooner than I thought.  Then I said to my wife, "With more and more people aging and many of them getting placards, pretty soon I'll have to park where I do now anyway, even with a placard."  And you know, all those people who now have placards really are old, not like me!!  I just want one …… just in case!!  Maybe when I'm old I'll use it. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

PS - UPDATE:  OK, so now I have my placard!  Temporary one that hooks to my mirror inside the car.  Have to remove it when I drive and it is only usable until the end of September, 2014. My doctor feels I should have decided by then what to do about my back problems and the treatment procedures I will take.  At that time I may not need the used of the placard or he may want to add a few more months onto it or make it permanent.  Here's hoping I can shred it!