Grandma Henke

There are a lot more senior citizens now days … at least it seems like that since I became one myself!

We like to go to the Golden Corral for their afternoon meal every now and then … when there is a good deal for people our age and a free drink to go with the meal. It looks like a Senior Activity Center that time of the day … a retro school cafeteria. It’s fun to people watch wherever there are a bunch of us older folks.

I like to watch the staff at our local Golden Corral as they interact with older customers. They are polite and helpful, joke around, and seem to know a lot of the regulars by name. It’s obvious that some of the people who dine there do it much more often than we do.

Seniors seem to talk to each other more than people in other age categories. I hurt my back while at Zion’s this week and had to use a cane yesterday when I checked out a sidewalk sale in town (bad backs do not slow down a determined shopper). A nice 65-ish man was walking up the sidewalk behind me as I shuffled along and as he got to me he said, “I’d ask to borrow that but it’s obvious you need it right now.” We started up a conversation right then and there about sciatic nerves and getting older.

At our campsite in Zion’s this week there were a couple of big circles that seemed to be the “track” for the daily exercise of many senior citizens. I talked to a lot of white haired couples as they strolled past arm in arm. We met people from a lot of states … Zion’s is a big attraction throughout the world. I got to thinking how friendly we baby boomers are and then I wondered if we’re really extra friendly or we just take any opportunity we can to slow down and rest. Whatever the reason it is fun to be in a category of people that is so friendly and open to new friends.

You also see a lot of white hair at the afternoon matinee’s at the theaters. Give a senior a discount and they’ll be there! It’s a different crowd than the normal theater full of movie goers. We tend to laugh at different places and you hear more snatches of conversations and the questions “what just happened? or “what did they say?” during the movie. Whistling hearing aids are quite common during a weekday matinee.

People are nice to seniors. They open doors and let you go first … ask if you need help … smile a lot. I have the kind of face that reminds people of someone they know. Everywhere I go people ask me if I’m related to “so and so” because I look like them and have the same mannerisms. I just have a familiar face I guess because I’m never related.

Children love older people. In stores children in shopping carts say “Hi Grandma” as I walk by and I love to stop and chat with them briefly. Babies like to cuddle on my shoulder … I think it’s because I am kind of soft and fluffy.

All in all I like my status as an “older person”. I miss some of the things I used to be able to do but I like where I am now. I pretty much feel free to do what I want or not do what I don’t want … and get away with it.