Cool Old Man.
So my wife works at a personal care home, she loves the residents there. This one old guy in particular, he's from Boston originally, got that great accent. He's ninety, don't look a day over eighty. I've met him before, he's got a "Hoveround". So he buys himself a laptop, wants to go on line. He's got a cell phone and his cell phone carrier will provide him with the wireless plan. He knows nothing about computers, I don't know a lot either but my wife thought I might be able to help him out. Spoke to him last night on the phone, went over there today. Got his Windows up and running, you know all that password stuff and registration you got to do. This guy was career military, 101st in WWII, then a lifetime of civilian/military government service after that. When we got to the password part I stepped away and averted my eyes, need to know and all like that. He's got to go to the cell phone store on Tuesday, set up his account. I really enjoyed the hour or so that we spent together. He told me about his wife of sixty-eight years, said she was the first girl he ever dated. She's gone now, he loves her more than ever. I'm going back next Saturday, he asked me if I'd stop by in case he needs any more help. This guy is old but he's sharp, he's probably not going to need any more help from me. It will be nice to sit and visit with him however, he's like a living history book, he's got a good heart too.
Hey Tommy, how about it bro. This old trooper was at D-Day man, same battalion as that "Band of Brothers", different company. Man, those guys were the real deal. He served in Korea too, then later on in Vietnam on the civilian side of things, didn't say what he did, just that he was there in the early sixties. I wonder what he thinks about all this stuff that's goin' on today, won't ask him though, got too much respect for him to ask about that............Yeah, I know what you mean. He does have that look, wouldn't mess with him now, even in his electric wheelchair..................Wouldn't be surprised man, an old .45 under his sweater, uh-huh.
The parrot is giving me that look, I know he wants something. I'll step him up, set him on his perch and we can hang out together. Now he's hanging on the cage door, yeah he wants out and he wants food. He's got food in his cage, but he wants fresh stuff, cut up nice and served to him on his perch. Maybe some fresh jalapeno', he really likes those.
Hey Tommy, how about it bro. This old trooper was at D-Day man, same battalion as that "Band of Brothers", different company. Man, those guys were the real deal. He served in Korea too, then later on in Vietnam on the civilian side of things, didn't say what he did, just that he was there in the early sixties. I wonder what he thinks about all this stuff that's goin' on today, won't ask him though, got too much respect for him to ask about that............Yeah, I know what you mean. He does have that look, wouldn't mess with him now, even in his electric wheelchair..................Wouldn't be surprised man, an old .45 under his sweater, uh-huh.
The parrot is giving me that look, I know he wants something. I'll step him up, set him on his perch and we can hang out together. Now he's hanging on the cage door, yeah he wants out and he wants food. He's got food in his cage, but he wants fresh stuff, cut up nice and served to him on his perch. Maybe some fresh jalapeno', he really likes those.
posted by Squarehead at 1:00 PM
7 Comments:
When you go back next Saturday he's going to ask you how to upload his photo to his match.com profile. :-)
No doubt, hey he's ninety, he ain't dead.
Sounds to me, like you should record his oral history.
This too helps bring out the elderlys positive outlook and feeling of belonging.
Good listening to ya!
Thanks for stoppin' by Coffee Messiah. That is a good idea, or maybe I can convince him to start his own blog, share his story with everybody.
The blog thing is good, especially for someone his age, but I do the recording for a living and to "hear" the person, whoever they are, reliving their past, along with photos that might help them remember even more is saving/sharing for those in the future to see/hear. We will not have had the same experiences they have, no doubt! Good Luck!
I love talking with older people because they have the experiences that we lack. And it's funny what you say about the Boston accent: my husband is from there, but he doesn't have it. I am from Chicago and I have a thick accent, and when I go to Boston, my accent changes to a Boston one. Weird.
Coffee, I like what you said. I might talk to him about it, see what he thinks. Thanks!
enemy, I know what you mean. My wife picks up accents real quick like that too. It is weird, I wonder if there's a name for that? Chicago rocks.
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