Let's go see Bob

Bob is 95.

The first thing I noticed about Bob is that he has beautiful clear blue eyes. Yes, he is frail, spotted, and has an abundance of gray hair (not sure if real) but his eyes are wonderfully clear baby blue. They match his flannels perfectly. The second thing I noticed is his welcoming smile and his happy to see us wave.

Bob and his friend are there everyday between the hours of 4 and 6 pm sitting in a folding lawn chairs just inside the open garage. The chairs have been there a while. A table sits between them and to the left is a refrigerator. Within is his night cap.

Most evenings Chris and I take the babies for a walk. This is not anything different from what we did in Alaska. I love running with the dogs but evening walks (talks) have always been my favorite exercise. Running exercises the brain as well as the body but differently than walking. Running clears the clutter. Walking and talking reclaims relationships which in turn transforms the soul. Most times in Alaska, we would be walking and wind up talking to other walkers out with their babies. Rarely were there neighbors sitting on porches or decks near our hillside neighborhood even on the warmest days. Here in Florida, it is quite common to hear voices coming from porches but it seems that more often than not, Floridians like their morning and evening garage sitting more.

We found Bob and his friend, Josh, on one of our walks. Now it has become our cue. "Lets go see Bob".

Why do I mention Bob? It is what I gain from Bob. Bob is a story to follow. At 95, that in itself is amazing. How does someone get to be 95 and not have a story to tell. Last evening, he introduced me to the first of his lessons on longevity. When I asked what was his secret, Bob said, "I have something for you to read". He went inside and brought me back a leaflet which he asked me to read. I started to read it silently but he then asked me to read it out loud. My senses immediately took me back to elementary school where I was always terrified to read out loud. Diction and pronunciation were not my strong suits. And this new friendship had me sitting in front of an educated man of long ago who probably cares about whether the English language is destroyed. I didn't want to disappoint him but I straightened myself and began to read about a diet that would cut the risk of Alzheimer. The top 10 food groups that were identified "good for the brain" listed vegetables, nuts, berries, beans, whole grains, fish, poultry..", and as I was reading I could sense him watching me. Simultaneously, my peripheral view could see his smile broadening as I read "olive oil and w..". Looking up his mouth was forming the word. "Wine" as we both said it together.

Bob is a new friend, I think. Maybe I will mention him more often.