Aging

Senior Scams

December 13, 2015

Don’t think thieves have no conscience. Some of us feel quite guilty, even before capture. Thankfully, I think I’ve outgrown my unacceptable tendencies; serving two stints in prison and turning seventy make a man mellow and empathetic. Today I’m just one of about fifty aging residents of Paradise Homes who’ve gathered in the community center…

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Reunion

August 17, 2013

Sorry to hear about funeral but excited to read invitation list of friends long unseen who’ll be there. What memories: college, girlfriends, wives, businesses. We said we’d never lose touch but we did. Now for a little while we’ll be like we were. Then we’ll find out who dies.

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Trash Can

March 9, 2013

Old man eased across street to knock on iron security door and was ignored till stepped to bedroom window rapping to force another old man out. Did you pull trash can down street and fill with shingles and nails? Hell no. Then I wonder who. You see anyone? Just those guys on your roof.

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Interned American

October 15, 2012

I’m doing pretty well for old man. Twenty years ago I retired from gardening at seventy-five. I was in twenties when Pearl Harbor hit and things got bad in California for people like me. I was born here, you know. That didn’t matter. They sent wife, three kids, and me to internment camp up north…

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Our Final Days

July 16, 2012

Early on a Saturday morning in late June my stepfather, age eighty-seven and already weakening, suffered a stroke that rendered him unconscious. Inside a large hospital emergency room the only doctor on duty was too busy to look closely, so a few nurses and technicians strongly sedated him, stuck a tube down his throat and…

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Retirement Express

April 17, 2012

Harold was usually nervous at work and home, worrying he couldn’t survive ten more years arrogant supervisors, indifferent coworkers, and rude customers, so started naps after work and earlier bedtimes and weekends in bed sleeping away years thankful to miss.

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Dinosaur Dogs

January 4, 2012

thrilled to see two dinosaurs size of dogs and ask owner their age says seven they can barely get up and walk soon won’t be able to at all and will have to put down just like you someday

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Trash Can

October 26, 2011

old man eased across street to knock on iron security door and was ignored till he stepped to bedroom window rapping it to force another old man out did you pull my trash can down to street and fill with shingles and nails hell no then i wonder who did you see anyone just those…

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Edna Wallace: 1916-2009

April 1, 2009

This is a tribute I wrote for a family anthology about my Aunt Edna Wallace, whose memorial tribute is Saturday One of my most exciting memories as a kid came when I was about 12 in the mid-1960’s and visited the Wallaces in big L.A.  I thought it was cool I had an aunt, Edna,…

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