Where Have All the Old Men Gone?

I remember as a young man in my

twenties, thirties and even my forties,

there were all these old men around me,

most everywhere I went, a slew of old

men around. And into my fifties, other

than some of those occasional aches

and pains, I barely noticed the change.

Sixty is when it really hit me. And seventy,

well at seventy, anyway, nowadays I avoid

looking into the mirror for seeing the

realities of old age which have encrusted

me. All the old men who used to be are

gone now. Once in awhile I see some of

them in reruns on TV. Sometimes they’ll

claim to be fifty-five or sixty. Crap! They

look old, but then I’ll realize, not older

than I am...not nearly as old as the lack-

luster old I have grown to be. Turn the

damned thing off or change the channel,

I tell myself. At first it was the stupid mirror

and now this. I watch too much friggin’ TV.

Chris Hanch 8-9-18