People Are Funny.

If you're old enough, you may remember Art Linkletter and his TV show, People are Funny. 

 

And on one particular day, that aptly applied to my situation.  People ARE Funny.  And in this case, I say "funny" like in odd, weird, or peculiar.

It all started one day when my car wouldn't start. 

Luckily, the car was still in my garage.

Unluckily, it was Friday evening, so I spent the entire weekend sans wheels. 

And really unlucky?   My car was out of warranty by exactly 3 months.

But early on Monday morning, after a jump-start, I showed up in my dealer's repair garage for, hopefully, what would be a quick fix on my car.  

After a brief talk with the service manager, I headed for the waiting room.  There were only two other customers waiting at the time, so I sank into the empty big black leather chair on the end to wait for word on how long a wait it would be.  A giant TV with the Today Show was flickering on the screen.    

There was no promise that the car would be finished anytime soon, so I was offered their Shuttle ride home.  I thought of calling a relative or friend for a quick ride home, but, not a fan of asking for favors,  I decided to take the free shuttle. 

 

How bad could it be?  Especially for me...I'm a confirmed  backseat driver...I even have a license!

Other anxious car owners started trickling into the waiting room and soon, all the seats were filled.   And, of course, we all had the same strategy...to get out as quickly and inexpensively as possible.

An elderly man shuffled into the waiting room and announced three names that he was ready to shuttle home.

One woman who was waiting had her two little ones in tow.  One about 5 and the other maybe 2 or 3.  They were the first to be driven home (although one woman argued that SHE was there first). 

It was after the first shuttle left.  That's when "People are Funny"  thoughts came rushing into my head.

I was quietly minding my own business straining to hear Matt Lauer on the Today Show when suddenly I was interrupted.  

 

"Do you go to the dances?"  I turned my head to the woman on my left.  I was stunned

surprised.  Was she speaking to me?  She then repeated herself,  "Do you go to the dances?" 

I am assuming that this nosey quizzical lady over-heard me say that I was from Trenton when I told the Shuttle driver where I needed a ride to.

Then, since she didn't get an answer to her "dance" question, she asked if I was a Senior Citizen....hummm.   My only guess as to why she asked the "senior" question is that she assumed since I was in a Buick dealer I must be a senior.   I politely smiled and retorted "At what age do you consider someone to be a senior?"

Then she went on to say, to all 6 of us now waiting, that she was 72 and liked to go to dances, and assumed that I knew all about the senior dances in the area.  I asked her if she was referring to the senior dances at the city's recreation department (NO I do NOT go, nor do I ever intend to), but she didn't seem satisfied with that. 

 

By now she wanted to know my exact age.  There was a slight gasp from one of the other women who then quipped in, "You never ask a woman her age."   One person on my side.

But that didn't stop the interrogation.  

This lady asked if I was widowed. Then she proceeded to tell me that she dated a local police chief, a retired local FBI man, and meets lots of people.  She then asked if I ever to go one of the local parks on the Detroit River.  She said it was a good place to meet people.  

 

Oh my, I thought, strangers in the park? 

I envisioned Chris Farley and his "Living in a Van Down by the River" routine.

By now, everyone was peering over their newspapers and looking up from the TV to see who this obnoxious chatty woman was.  I had a pleasant smile on my face, masking my "People are Funny" thoughts.

Do I unconsciously send out some kind of vibe that says "I'm desperate to talk to you?"

I don't think so.  I always stay alert of things going on around me, but in these types of settings where I am held captive in a crowded waiting room, I am usually quiet and mind my own business.

When 72 year old Miss Chatty didn't get much out of me, she turned to another victim woman who was rescued from the questioning when the shuttle driver stepped into the room to pick his next passengers.

He was coming up with some sort of way to take the people home without backtracking.  He called 3 people.  I was the 4th.  I declined his offer of a ride and said I'd wait until he returned. 

He wouldn't hear of it, and motioned for me to come.  BIG MISTAKE!  Why did I do that? 

Instead of a direct route home which would have been a 15 minute ride, at most, I was

taken on a winding journey through cities exactly the opposite of where I was going.  And all this while listening to "chatty-woman" sitting in the front seat while I was being squeezed hip-to-hip with two elderly men in the back seat. 

 

                       Worst. Ride. Ever.

What a trip...confirming my opinion:

People Really Are Funny!

Am I Spotting the Subtle Signs?

Wrinkles may not hurt, but getting older?…Ouch! 

 

I’ve detected some subtle symptoms creeping in.  I laugh at these sly little signs sneaking up on me, but I wonder how long before they overtake me and I will have to accept that I am actually inching my way to old age.

I’ve been lucky enough to inherit some good genes and I am hoping that I follow suit from my past generations.

Last summer I was at Comerica Park for a Tigers baseball game with my family.  There were 9 of us, including my posse of 5 young grandchildren. 

 

Sitting in the direct sun on that hot and humid day, we kept cool with a constant mist of cold water in a spray bottle I brought in from home and had sneaked into the stadium.

We were enjoying the game when the ball was hit into the stands. Loooong Goooone! 

 

The fans went wild and rose to their feet.  We cheered…loud!  A minute later, the crowd quieted and settled back down into their seats.

Without peeking behind me, I took my seat………the next thing I knew, I was sitting on the cement with my knees up at my chin. 

 

I was bewildered!  “What just happened?” I thought.  For a second, I thought no one had seen me. I felt as if I was in the twilight zone.

You know how close the row in front of you is in those stadiums?  

 

Must be only 24 inches or so!  

 

Well I was down there still wondering how I got there, and how was I going to get out of this 2 foot square box-like space. 

 

Then I heard a familiar voice of my daughter, “Are you OK?”

 

I must have forgotten that the seat pops up…and evidentially, STAYS up, when you get out of it.  LOL  OK, I can laugh at myself with the best of them! 

But sometimes getting older is a bit frustrating.

 

It’s not funny when you can’t read those small words printed on a medicine bottle, or when you have a hard time opening a jar in the kitchen.

But, I’m part of the Baby-Boomer Generation.  I am not going to accept this sentence sitting down.  I am going to gracefully fight every step of the way. 

 

Just remember: do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many.