h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Years and years ago, when I was a teen, my father, I and a few of his friends from work and their sons went to a company deer lease off season in New Ulm, Texas. New Ulm is a 'blink-and-you-missed' it little town in central Texas west of Austin. Anyway, the owners of the property were a father and son, the son was in his late 60's, with thick accents. One of my father's friends decided to try out his high school German and greeted the old men. (I'm not sure what he said after "Guten abend", but he went on for a sentence or two.) The Old man cocked his head sideways and said, "Wassat? Messkin?". They were from Czechoslovakia. My dad's friend didn't live that down for years. Anytime he murmured or stuttered he was answered with "Wassat? Messkin?" for years.

Many years later, my father told me that he talked with the old man later on and he said he spoke fluent German as well, of course, but couldn't pass up a good laugh.

What a great story.

Great story. The Messkin I could probably understand.

A semester or 2 before I met Tom, I had a major crush on this Greek boy that went to the community college I met Tom at, sharing most of my classes. (Funnily enough, he went by Tom--his last name was Thomaides. I don't remember what his actual first name was.) Anyway, his accent was pretty thick, though he was mostly perfectly understandable. He would imitate a US Southern accent, which was absolutely hilarious! (Another funny thing--the crush went away pretty quickly once I learned he was only 16*, since I was 20 at the time. Why is this funny? About 2 weeks after Tom (my Tom) and I started dating, I learned that he was 17 to my 21...)






*Just to remind nonUSians--the age of majority here is 18. Even if both parts of a couple are under 18, the older can be charged with statutory rape if there is a 4 year age difference.

Great story, Amy. Let's hear it for younger men. (Syn is younger than I am.)

And me -- by exactly a year

Loved that video of the pups and Minerva!

I became tired just watching them.

Each time I move into a new decade, the requirement for old age moves ahead. We're still middle-aged, SC.

Definitely Hypatia



Websailor

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Well, of course we are! There's the beginning and the end, and everything else is the middle ages!

I like the way you think!

Ho yus.

It means I'll be middle aged for decades to come.

"Old age is always fifteen years older than I am."

George Bernard Shaw (from memory)

I really believe age is a frame of mind to a certain degree. We have a lot active, older people who come in. Then we have some the same age who are barely able to get around. I think the kiss of death is believing you're old.

I think so too, but health does play a part, some are lucky some are not.

Websailor

That's very true, Websailor. I have been blessed with good genes. And since I took things into my own hands, I am in good health once again. I had some problems a few years back, but those are gone or under control now. All without having to take prescription drugs. Not too many people my age take no prescriptions at all. I take very little over the counter medications, also. Just enough ibuprophen to keep the inflamation down in my neck - a couple of tablets every other day. And some otc acid reducer maybe once a week. Some benedryl during allergy season.

I have one small water tablet a day to keep my blood pressure down, though frankly I think it wouldn't make much difference if I didn't take it! My other half is ill at the moment, and I have realised how much energy I have, having lost a stone in weight with the worry. I guess I am running on adrenaline at the moment though! I shall endeavour to keep the weight down and lose some more if I can as I feel better.

I must admit I don't have much faith in prescription drugs - they appear to solve one problem while creating another, but having said that my husband has been comparatively well for seventeen years, which wouldn't be the case without them!

Take care, hope you are feeling better,

Websailor