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In my younger years, looking in the morning mirror before

Heading out the door, bound and determined and with

A coach’s pep-talk attitude before the big game, I would

Say to myself, “Let’s do this! Lets go out there and get this

Thing done! At least during those days filled with hope, dreams

And youthful invigoration, I would often consider every day

A payday even if my personal inspirational gain was minimal.

Today, retired and approaching my seventieth year at this game,

(relating a modified version of the original aspiration), I now see

An old coot currently opposing me in the mirror. “I don’t know

What you’ve done to the young man who used to stand in that

Exact same place (I admonish), but I need to say that if you persist

In representing me this way, you’d best get off your boney ass

Today and at least brush that scraggly hair. And for heaven’s sake,

Man, put on a damn decent shirt!”

Chris Hanch 1-14-17