On Getting Old -- 21

Our church, St. Paul of the Cross, sponsors a dinner for the homeless every Sunday evening from the beginning of autumn through the end of spring. Last Sunday I had the pleasure of greeting the people to the dinner.

Young and old alike attended the dinner. Young couples with their children – oldsters with their canes or walkers. People with the look in their eyes wishing they did not have to come to such a place.

I welcomed them to our parish and the repast they were about to share in. A feeling of warmth spread throughout me for the little I was able to contribute to their lives.

Thanking the Almighty for the path through life I was able to traverse, I savored my candy of today and prayed for those less fortunate than I.

Ciao

On Getting Old -- 20

We belong to a group of old time radio fans. We are The Those Were The Days Radio Players – Northwest Ensemble. First a little history about our group.

Early in 1992 Chuck Schaden announced on his weekly radio program the formation of a group to perform old time radio recreations around the Chicago area. The date was set for a Saturday in February of 1992. This day turned out to be the coldest day of the year about -30F. My wife, Rosemary, and I decided to attend.

We entered the hall and were amazed to see over one hundred people in attendance. Chuck talked about starting a group to perform radio recreations at libraries, women’s clubs, retirement centers, or anyplace we could close a door and hold some people captive to listen to us.

Rosemary and I were contacted later and told that four groups would be formed around the city to provide these services. Since we were involved in running our community theatre, Chuck asked us to lead the Northwest group. The rest is history.

Our group created many visual sound effects to give the audience the impression of attending a radio studio in the ‘40’s. We transcribed old shows like Jack Benny, Fibber McGee and Molly, Lights Out, Inner Sanctum. Our groups is still going strong.

Anyway, Chuck Schaden decided to celebrate his 39th year on air with an Anniversary Broadcast of a Jack Benny impersonator. So on May 3rd our entire group went to the Portage Theater in Chicago to see the show. The program was fascinating.

Besides a wonderful performance by Eddie Carroll as Jack Benny, we met with Chuck and his wife Ellen along with many of the people we have had the pleasure of meeting and/or working over the past seventeen years. The lobby of the Portage was crammed with old time sound effect paraphernalia, and booths hawking posters, etc.

Like so many days along this path of mine, it was filled with piece after piece of candy. My trek toward 70 is certainly becoming most pleasurable.

Ciao

On Getting Old -- 19

The other day I happened to read a column in the Chicago Tribune written by Garrison Keillor. The title of the column intrigued me – “Uplifting gift, from one heart to another.” Little did I know that I would find my candy early that Sunday morning on the printed page.

Mr. Keillor described his experience at a party. He claimed he normally would not attend such functions because of the boring talk of getting old. At this event he met a young lady who sat down at the piano and played the Chopin Prelude No. 2 in A Minor so exquisitely it transformed the entire evening.

Mr. Keillor went on to say…”(the Chopin Prelude) simply is an extravagant gift from the heart of a girl to the hearts of whoever is standing nearby. Life is good, no matter the disappointments—O God, the disappointments. Just square your shoulders and give them your utter best.”

Thank you Mr. Garrison Keillor for the tastiest of my daily candy.

Ciao

On Getting Old -- 18

As you travel the path of old age, you often think of times gone by and of those people who filled those spaces.

At a fiftieth high school class reunion a couple of years ago, I reacquainted myself with some fellow classmen I hadn’t seen for some time. We kept in contact from that time on. One day Danny, one of the guys I kept in contact with, told me of a fellow basketball player, Johnny, who has been living in an assisted-care facility.

Finally, four of the fellow jocks from high school years decided to visit with Johnny. Beside Danny and me, Warren and Phil joined us for the get-together.

Remember, the last time I saw Johnny was fifty years ago. A strapping young man motoring around the BB court like a demon. We entered his tiny apartment and saw this old bald man with a crown of scraggily gray hair sitting on the side of his bed—a walker propped up alongside of him. What happened to that player of fifty years ago I wondered. The weathering of time was not kind to him.

The five of us sat in the bedroom bullshitting of days gone by. Each one trying to top the other with instances funny or important only to us. After an hour we went to lunch at a neighborhood hot dog stand not unlike the ones we frequented those fifty years ago. How sad to see Johnny struggle to climb into the SUV—the man who soared high with a jump shot on the courts of yesteryear.

Another hour of joking and kidding each other at the diner, and it was back to Johnny’s rest home. We all promised to not wait another fifty years to get together again.

I wondered about today’s candy. Was it mine or was it Johnny’s. I know this group of guys added many happy thoughts and remembrances for our friend. After thinking about the afternoon I did come away with my candy—the pleasure of an exciting and memorable afternoon for a lonely friend with a bunch of old foggies.

Ciao

On Getting Old -- 17

The trek to “70” is not easy on many different levels, and the search for the daily candy is strenuous.

We’re facing another difficult situation. My mother, Madeline, achieved her 91st birthday this past January. Wonderful, you might think. Unfortunately, her health has deteriorated rapidly over the past five months. She has been in and out of hospitals and rehab institutions during that time. Mom lay in bed staring at the ceiling wondering where she was.

Two days ago we had to come to grips with the decision of choosing hospice for Mom. The family discussed this matter at length after considering the input from the medical staff. We opted to choose hospice.

Even though Mom expressed the desire to die, signing the piece of paper that committed her to this course of action was extremely taxing. One wonders if you are playing God. Anyway, we moved forward.

Her mouth is constantly parched, and being able to drink nectar-thick fluids is not satisfying. As we were reminiscing about old days, I told her the story of an old friend. His mother-in-law was in failing health and was constantly dry of mouth. This woman took to sipping beer to moisten her mouth. One day his wife was concerned when she saw her mother nearly comatose on the bed. Our friend leaned over and smelled her breath and assured his wife that there was nothing wrong with her mother. She was only drunk.

Well, Mom had a good laugh at the story. Before I left that day I told Mom that I would bring her a Budweiser the next day. She laughed again.

Her laughter was my candy for the day.

Ciao

On Getting Old -- 16

The day was a little overcast but the enthusiasm of the throngs of men, women, and children remained bright. Anticipation filled the air on the Main Street of our community. The parade approached. The Stars and Stripes led the way followed by the old timers – the veterans who fought in the wars. Another Memorial Day, another time to show our thanks for the brave men and women who helped make this day possible for us.

For me a parade is synonymous with excitement. But this parade has a special meaning. It represents the greatness of our nation. I’m proud to see those old-timers with their campaign pins stuck on their hats and vests. Unfortunately that group is a dwindling one. Some of the younger men and women do march but not as many. Hopefully in future years the young people will replace the older ones. These younger men and women deserve our accolades also.

Following the military personnel were the local politicians eager to get their names before us. Then came the vehicles, some older than the people leading the way. And a parade cannot be without the local high school bands. The bulk of the remaining stream consisted of the groups [boy scouts, girl scouts, librarians, the senior center, and on and on] who function in the community. Along the way clowns and people of all sorts toss candy to the crowds. The youngsters along the route scramble for the sweets as if they were nuggets of gold. Little did they know the children were a part of my "candy" for the day.

The parade terminated in front of city hall and the reviewing stand. After the last of the bodies marched by, the vets and politicians congregated in the grassy knoll in the center of town at the Memorial stele for the final service of the day.

My candy for the day filled me not only with happiness but with pride also. God bless this great nation of ours, the United States of America.


Ciao

On Getting Old -- 15

The candy today is bittersweet. We came to the end of our stay with Chris, Yvonne, Calvin and Emmett. The joy and happiness of the past week will live in us forever. The time passed too quickly. But we must return home.

The limo picked us up. Through the open window we wave our goodbyes to Cal and “M”. Showers of kisses are blown to us with tiny hands. A tear fills the eye this soon-to-be old man.

The gentle tug of the baby’s hand, their calls of Grandma and Grandpa, the pleas to be picked up, the races around the house, and on and on – these memories will live within us always.

As swift as these cherished moments flit by, so does our life’s journey. The approach of that 70 and beyond is certainly being sweetened by the memories.

Ciao