Skip to main content

A Sober Comment on Aging

Getting Old


One of my favorite authors, James Lee Burke, in his recent Dave Robiecheaux tale entitled “The Glass Rainbow” wrote a beautiful piece of dialogue regarding the pain of men endure as they grow old. Now many women will just roll their eyes at this revelation, but the truth is that if they listen they will understand the sudden sadness some men feel when they face up to the limitations age puts on us with little or no time for preparation.


Dave, in his role in law enforcement in New Iberia, Louisiana, is interviewing an old patriarch, a left over remnant of the anti-bellum southern aristocracy. Dave has no respect for this man and his kind, who, Dave believes, has acquired his power and fortune by trampling on those less fortunate. He also believes this man might have something to do with the cruel and horrible murders of two young women, probably not by his own hand, but possibly with his permission or at the very least knowledge.


They are on the patio of this gentlemanʼs mansion next to the Bayou Teche. The mansion is rapidly becoming a shadow of itʼs original glory and grandeur, and as such serves as a metaphor for the pain and inevitability of growing old. The old man asks his nurse to sneak him a cigarette before his son comes back. Probably embarrassed by the skullduggery required to enjoy such a simple pleasure, he addresses Dave.


“Donʼt get old, Mr Robiecheaux. Age is an Insatiable thief. It steals the pleasure of your youth, then locks you inside your own body with your desires still glowing. Worse, it makes you dependent on people, who are a half a century younger than you. Donʼt let anyone tell you that it brings peace, either, because thatʼs the biggest lie of all.”


Observation by Jeff Jordan 03/11/2011

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Diversity

As we look forward to celebrating the Pride we have in our Gay population, (Yeah, I couldn't resist the pun.) I'm pleased to report that diversity in the mix of our residents here in the Fox River Valley continues to surprise me. Example: As my wife and I waited for friends, in the lobby of the Marcus Hollywood Theater on the west side of Appleton, I witnessed three AfricanAmericann ladies buying snacks. Behind them was a Latino couple. At the end of the line, behind was an Asian fellow with three kids. We represented the WASP's. This is in a community that when I first visited in the nineteen sixties, if a black man walked down the street, he more than likely played football for Green Bay. After that, there was a rather pronounced immigration of Hmong and quieter arrival of Latino's. For a while, the worst keep secret was that the new Italian restaurant was actually owned by Mexican's. Since returning to the Valley, I've grown use...
Post a Comment
Read more

A rustle in the hustings

I am trying to stay away from politics on my blog. I know that some of my intended readers do not share my feelings. As well, I don't entice dialogue. Occasionally my readers will address something I've written about. For the most part, they are merely saying something like, "Oh yeah, I felt that way too," regarding some experience, that I related. However, I have to share these particular feelings about the new Ryan Healthcare proposal that is sailing through the House of Representatives. Market-driven healthcare provision: This concept proposes that if put on the free market health care insurance will become more affordable. The theory is there will be competition among insurers to gain market share and lowering the prices will be a possible outcome. None of the insurers want customers who are old people or people with a pre-existing health problem ( heart disease, cancer, etc...) Older people, who are not on medicare, have more health care ne...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ring The Bell

 It appears there is a tradition in the radiology department at Ascension Hospital that patients, upon completing their course of treatment, ring a bell. ( We know not for whom this bell tolls.) Ring the Bell with My Sweetheart Jeanne. Jeanne drove me to all but two of the appointments. Pam Frautchi took me to the other two. Today, after being zapped thirty-two times, I rang the bell. This begins a roughly one-month recovery period where the effects of the radiation abate and, I'm assured, a return to normalcy occurs. In my case, I anticipate more energy and greater awareness. Books, Books, & More Books I am simultaneously celebrating the end of the third year of volunteering for the All Saints Hunger Book Sale. Next week, we will wrap up the preparation for the sale and open our doors on August 3 for the public. I ran into this humourous but quite accurate cartoon on a T-Shirt that shows most of the volunteer's sentiments at this point. If you think the printed and bound p...
Post a Comment
Read more