Bombshell, Zonker - the Ages Through Carolyn's Eyes

We, Clinton, Spencer, and I, went south an hour's drive to visit with Sis. Carolyn.  She turned 89 on March 12 of 2024, 6 months back.  We took her a bouquet of flowers with red roses, yellow daisies, and a blue butterfly adornment.  Eyes bright, she put both hands up to her face covering her mouth, "Oh, aren't they just beautiful!"  Turning to me with exuberance, "They're BEAUTIFUL!"

I had texted her daughter Linda to make sure it was okay to drop in on Labor Day.  She assured me it was but that her mother had had a bad night a few days before.  Sis. Carolyn called her daughter at 2:30 in the morning to say she was in jail.  When Linda went to check on her "she had hauled dishes outside in stacks" in the driveway, very confused. 

Sis. Carolyn, sitting on her couch in a cream colored blouse, asked me how I was doing.  I told her we'd just come back from a trip to Portland, Indiana, where the Jay County hosted the Tri-State Gas Engine Show.  Some years ago she'd asked me how old I was.  Back then I said I was 57, she said, "Oh kid, that's young!  You're young!  You can still go places.  Go!  Take that camper and go!"

So, today she said she's 89 and asked me how old I was.  I said 67.  Very matter-of-factly she stated, "YOUNG."  

"70's, a breeze!" she said of her own experience, as she swiftly slide her right hand off her left into the air, "A breeze!"

"80's....bombshell!"  She dropped her cold hands and thin arms into her lap.

One of the guys asked her if she'd like to live into her 90's.  She shook her head, squeezed her eyes shut, saying, "I'm not gonna wish for it."

"You don't go on forever.  70's was easy.  80's, ZONKER!"

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Sis. Carolyn looked at the guys with questioning eyes.  So I told her their names, who they were, pulled up pics on my cellphone so she could discern a little better.  According to her daughter Linda, not only does she not hear well at all, she can't see very well, either.

She peered forward at Spencer and said, "You look better and better every time I see you."  Then she remembered how as young'uns Spencer, Clinton, and Calvin spent the night back in the early 90's, that they'd raised up the electric hospital bed ... "TO THE CEILING!" she said excitedly.

She recalled a trip to Kentucky with "David Leeman" and Calvin and Clint.  She pointed to Clint, "Now he's a good driver!"  

****

But, I wasn't left out.  She looked at me, pointed to my hair, and did a little chuckle.  She'd always seen me with brown hair.  One time she even pulled it forward over my shoulders and took a picture.  But today, since John's passing, I've let it be it's natural color.  No more dyeing it brown for darling hubby, it's turned white!

Sis. Carolyn looked at me, looked at a picture of me on my cellphone, then she made a very pithy remark. The guys busted a gut laughing.  

Loudly, with conviction, she said, "That's the oldest I've ever seen you look."