My cousin is 90 years old. She seriously doesn’t look a day over 89. (I know, I’m going to Hell)
She has been a part of life for all of my life and I didn’t really know her as a person until a few years ago. She moved a lot when I was a kid, so you never knew when she and her husband and two kids would suddenly pop in, broke and needing a meal or a bed for the night.
I asked some questions today, gently, about her past. I learned a few things that made me smile – she met her husband at a barn dance. But, she coyly told us, she didn’t dance with him that first night. She was dancing with another boy, so the next night, he wouldn’t let that boy near her and claimed every dance.
Picturing my cousin, who is frail and unsteady, as a young girl, dancing and flirting with the man she would marry and live with for 20 years (he died young) has made my heart feel sort of melty all day.
I wonder if her kids know this story. We left her with the promise to return next year although she said she couldn’t promise she’d be here. I told her to try!
Treasure the old ones, my friends, they have a story you should ask for.
Suziecreamcheese Sings the Blues 
They have excellent stories! ❤️
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This cousin – her dad used to tell me about traveling from NY to Florida on basically dirt roads, riding a tramp steamer down and getting a bus back. I so wish I had recorded those stories!
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At least you have the opportunity to ask questions and Skype/phone your remaining relatives. Maybe gather some of their stories in a journal and give copies to family for Christmas. (Throw inna few photos and make a nice album!)
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that’s a wonderful idea. I do call often, because they don’t do skype and facetime and that fancy schmancy modern shit
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Good thing you asked those questions. Most older people really hope the younger folks will ask. Fonts of Wisdom.
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I’ve told my grandchildren a few stories about my youth and the looks I get are priceless. I said to them, “did you think I was born this age?” They actually thought about it. It’s true, though, we tend to think of the older ones as being that age forever, and not really having lives before us.
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LOL!! true.
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Best part of being old is being able to make up all kinds of shit and telling it to the younger generations as if it was fact. So easy because there’s no social media footprint and no way to fact check. Did I ever tell you the story about how I studied the blade with real samurai? Sit down…
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My grandchildren would love you. Of course, they’re not known for their particularly good taste. 🙂
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Too bad but I’ll bet if grilled with some Sweet Baby Ray’s they’d be tasty.
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I don’t know, they don’t have a lot of meat on their bones, those girls.
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