Hank Who?

 

When I read the headlines in my morning paper, I think to myself, “I wonder what my grandkids would think if they were to read that headline?”  “Hank who?” then comes to mind.  And why is that, you might be thinking?  Well, if that’s what you are thinking it means one thing to me:  You are probably among the minions of readers who are, if not my age, then approaching my age, in any case.

 

You see, we oldsters often think everyone thinks like we do—something that just is not the case.  It wasn’t the case when we were moving through our high schools, or when we were, ourselves, young marrieds, or even when we had kids moving into one of those high schools that we remember going to ourselves.  No, things just don’t change all that much, which brings up that saying, “no matter how much things change, they really just stay the same.”  Or, words to that effect.

 

Those high schoolers of mine, who I like to call “my grandkids,” may or may not even have heard of Hank Aaron, even though here he is, on the front page of my paper, having moved on to the clouds (or to wherever!) 

 

I, though, remember Hank, he really wasn’t all that much older than I, you see, and “Hammerin’ Hank” put those balls over the fence more often than any of his compatriots while I was watching him from my livingroom sofa, or, on one occasion, from the bleachers in that stadium in Atlanta. Really something. 

 

Still, that’s only one example of how my thinking differs from the thinking of my own children and the thinking of my children’s children.  When I was one of those children, in high school, at that, and someone mentioned “music,” my thinking turned to PP&M, or, maybe to Petula Clark.  My parents probably thought of Bing Crosby, or those Dorsey Brothers, and as for my Grandparents’ thinking, well, honestly, I have absolutely no idea.  Each generation has, it seems, their own thinking when a term like that comes up, even though we all may provide the exact same definition when asked what the dictionary might say about the term.

 

Strange.  Strange, but true!

 

And, as for Hank Aaron, and even as for that “paper,” my kids know what I’m talking about when I mention them but my grandkids?  No earthly idea!

 

How about that!

And one more thing, again….

 

If you haven’t thought of this before, how about the difference between that 22 year old and 29 year old mind?  7 years is a good bit, to some people, but just how much is it?  Well, if you had asked my wife that question, right after she and I tied the knot, I expect she might have said, “yes, there is a difference, but usually it really isn’t all that much.”  Then, as life goes on (kids, pets, whatever) the difference all but disappears until, guess what, there you go, again, with no kids, no pets, and, again, guess what…that difference is a whole lot less.

 

And now, for wife and me, we find 77 and 70 to provide much less difference than that initial 7 years did way back when.  We still walk into a room and think, “just why did I come in here?”  The difference?  Well, today, that happens a lot more often than it did when we first met.  And it might take just a bit longer (or should I say a lot longer?) to remember just why you walked into that room.  Anyhow, the tale here might be to return to when you were 10 and your sister was 3.  Any difference?  You betcha!

 

So, is there a problem here?  Well, only if you let it be.  Knowing there is a problem and one that will continue to grow for both of you as time wears on, you will be on the right track.  And, if little things, say the possibility of Alzheimer’s, comes to your mind, you might just put that out of it.  What is there to do, anyway?  To the doc, maybe, and what does that get you?  Well, take it from me, pohdner, other than bills you wish you didn’t have and answers that are like those bills, not much.

 

Like it?  Well, there is an alternative—but most of us would say no thankee to that alternative.  In any case, I hope that will be your thinking when you, too, get here.  Just ask your wife.  (Preferably, ask her “early in the mornin’ about the break of day.”)  Then make a return to that folk song and remember, it’s the Lord you should be asking, since it is that very Lord who has the answer, the only answer you might find that has real meaning, and, thank you PP&M for your take on that..

 

“Help me find a way, to that promised land, (This lonely body, needs a helping hand,) I asked the Lord, won’t you please, help me find a way!”