NOT LONG AGO I WAS RUNNING A FEW ERRANDS WITH MY RED IRISH SETTER "JAZ". DURING THESE PARTICULAR EXCURSIONS I DRIVE TO THE VARIOUS LOCATIONS SUCH AS GROCERY STORE, PET SMART, TARGET ETC. HOWEVER, IF I GO TO PET SMART OF COURSE JAZ COMES IN WITH ME AND WORKS THE CROWD WHILE I GET DOG FOOD, TREATS, TOYS ETC. RARELY ANYONE PASSES BY WITHOUT COMMENTING ON HIS BEAUTY, HANDSOMENESS YADA YADA YADA. HE OF COURSE SITS AND GIVES THEM A HIGH FIVE OR HANDSHAKE (AT HIS WILL OF COURSE). HE USUALLY WANTS TO JUMP UP AND KISS THEM (STOPPING THIS PARTICULAR BEHAVIOR IS A WORK IN PROGRESS). IF I GO TO PET SMART, LOWES, OR HOME DEPOT HE DOES COME IN BUT OTHERWISE HE PATIENTLY WAITS IN THE CAR.
SORRY I DIGRESS. THIS ONE PARTICULAR DAY AFTER GOING TO PET SMART I DECIDED TO RUN INTO A STORE THAT I SHALL NOT NAME. I WAS ONLY DOING A FAST RUN IN AND CHECK ON A PARTICULAR ITEM AND THEN RUN OUT. A SWEET, FRIENDLY, SALESLADY NAMED "BARBARA" STARTED A CONVERSATION WITH ME ABOUT THE ITEM I WAS CONTEMPLATING. THEN I ASKED HER IF SHE WERE FULL TIME OR PART TIME. FROM THAT POINT I LEARNED A LOT OF INFORMATION IN SHORT ORDER. US GIRLIES USUALLY SHARE OUR LIVES EASILY WITH OTHER WOMEN.
BARBARA WAS A VERY NICE LADY AND I QUICKLY DETERMINED THAT SHE WAS VERY CLOSE TO MY AGE. SHE QUICKLY DIVULGED THAT WORKED PART TIME BECAUSE HER HUSBAND WHO HAD RECENTLY RETIRED HAD BEGUN TO DRIVE HER CRAZY. THE 24/7 TOGETHERNESS WAS SOMETHING THAT SHE IN PARTICULAR WAS HAVING TROUBLE GETTING USED TO. (HMMM)
SHE WENT ON TO DESCRIBE HER TORTURE, I MEAN LIFE PRIOR TO THE PART TIME JOB AS FOLLOWS: SHE WAKES UP (THERE HE IS) SHE FEELS THE NEED TO GET UP AND GET DRESSED AND PRESENTABLE BEFORE MAKING HIS BREAKFAST (PRIOR TO RETIREMENT HE GRABBED COFFEE AT A DRIVE THROUGH ON THE WAY TO WORK). THEN HE WANTS TO GO FOR A LONG WALK OR A RIDE SOMEWHERE (ACE HARDWARE,,,DOUBLE FUN). (HMMM). THEN WHEN THEY RETURN HE IS HUNGRY FOR LUNCH.(AFTER 40 YEARS TOGETHER NOW HE WANTS LUNCH EVERY DAY?????). OF COURSE OVER THE YEARS THEY SPENT MOST WEEKENDS TOGETHER BUT HE WAS GOLFING, FISHING ETC. SO SHE DID NOT HAVE TO MAKE 3 MEALS A DAY "EVER". ON WITH THE SCHEDULE. AFTER LUNCH AND CLEAN UP (HER CLEAN UP) SHE STARTS ON SOME HOUSEWORK WHILE HE FOLLOWS HER FROM ROOM TO ROOM TRYING OR NOT TRYING TO DISTRACT HER. IF SHE DECIDES TO WATCH A LITTLE TV PROGRAM IN THE AFTERNOON HE WANTS TO PLAY A GAME , ANY GAME, OR HAVE MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION . OMG THEN THERE IS PREPARATION FOR DINNER (HER PREPARATION OF COURSE). AFTER DINNER THERE IS ANOTHER LONG WALK. THEY ARE BOTH INTO HEALTHY LIVING SHE ASSURES ME. BY THIS TIME EACH DAY SHE IS LOOKING FORWARD TO A LITTLE QUIET TIME TO WORK ON PROJECTS, WATCH TV, READ A BOOK ..................WHATEVER. THERE HE IS BORED AND LOOKING AT HER FOR FUN, ATTENTION, ...... THE FRIENDS HE USED TO HUNT WITH, GOLF WITH ETC. ARE EITHER NOT RETIRED YET OR IF RETIRED THEIR WIFES NEED THEIR ATTENTION .
NOW I HAVE HEARD THIS STORY BEFORE, THE NAMES HAVE CHANGED BUT THE STORY IS ALWAYS THE SAME. SOMETIMES THE WOMEN I HAVE HEARD THIS FROM ONLY MAKE UP FAKE ERRANDS TO RUN SO THEY CAN JUST BROWSE IN A STORE FROM TIME TO TIME RATHER THAT TAKING ON A PART TIME JOB.
TO BE FAIR TO THE MALE POPULATION, I AM SURE IT IS QUITE A SHOCK TO BE RETIRED AT FIRST ALSO. ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAVE NOT CULTIVATED SOME TYPE OF HOBBY OR RECREATION TOGETHER OR ALONE OVER THE YEARS. BUT THIS CONVERSATION WAS ABOUT BARBARA X SO I AM ONLY GIVING HER SIDE OF THE STORY HERE.
I LEFT THE STORE EMPTY HANDED BUT WITH SOMETHINGS TO PONDER AS I DROVE HOME AND A FEW TIMES SINCE. ALTHOUGH I DO NEED TO FIND A PART TIME JOB FOR 1 OR 2 DAYS A WEEK IT IS FOR THE MONEY AND NOT FOR AN ESCAPE TO OR FROM ANYTHING OR ANYONE . UPON FURTHER PONDERANCE OF MY CONVERSATION WITH BARBARA IT HAS SINCE BECOME HUMOROUSLY CLEAR TO ME THAT MY DOG JAZ IS BARBARA'S HUSBAND............
THE SENIOR EXPERIENCE WILL TAKE US DOWN MANY ROADS AND TRAILS LEADING TO ADVENTURE. WHEN WE WERE YOUNG WE COULD NOT SEE NOR IMAGINE THE END OF ANY OF THE ADVENTURES WE BEGAN............. NOW HOWEVER IT IS DIFFERENT. THE DIFFERENCE, FOR ME AT LEAST, IS THOSE GLIMPSES AND A TREPIDITION AND YES I WILL SAY IT, .............A FEAR,....... OF THE IMPENDING END OF THE JOURNEY AND THE ADVENTURES.........
I HAVE COME TO THE END OF TODAYS BLOG. SEE YOU SOON. I MUST NOW TAKE JAZ FOR A WALK. HE HAS PATIENTLY WAITED AND WATCHED WHILE I WROTE THIS STORY.
CAIO.
