The Emerald Rose

            I really think God plays with our minds. When we were young, time passed so slowly it was like watching a slow-motion video grotesquely funny, but very trying if you were in it.

           Then as high school came around it seemed like those monthly tests were only two days apart. Lost track of time in College (like they say,” if you remember the 60’s,… you weren’t there”” ,…right sims? We were going through a major cultural shift in the world. the “Classics” became Kerouac, Dylan and Plath, the great tunes became “Hey Jude”, “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” , and “We got to get out of this place”.

          The face of war changed to butt ugly, the very first generation of young men prepared to give their life for their country and the freedoms we enjoy were shunned, spit upon, ridiculed,…and isolated.  New things happened, like “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder”, “HIV” , and other “medical advancements”. The life that used to be simple began taking on a dark, foreboding haze, and the country went from a “we” to a “me”.

         Then God had time stand still, as life seemed to go on forever, raising the kids, trying to get and keep a job or career, trying to “buy into” the American Dream and the 2 1/2 bath three bedroom home in the ‘burbs with great neighbors, good kids, and the poor man’s pride and joy,…a green well cut and fertilized lawn!

        Then one morning you wake up and the clock is moving at a fast forward speed.

         “It can’t be 9 0’clock, I just got up and haven’t even taken a shower or shaved yet,…damn.”

         “So what’s your schedule this week honey?” 

         “Ecumenical choir practice Sunday afternoon and Monday evening, Catholic Choir Tuesday evening, I’m off Wednesday but I have to work Thursday and Friday nights until close.”

         “Well I can rustle up some food when I get home and we can have dinner together on Wednesday and how about going out to a movie Saturday night?”

        “Sounds good to me, have a good day at work, I love you.”

        “Love you too,…shit I’m an hour late already!”

         And now you start getting bombarded with a lot of “Medicare” ads and mailings,…”Shit, I’m too damn young for this I’m only…………oh yeah, sixty-five.”

        Worse yet your pharmacist knows you by first name, and even takes the time to show you the “off the shelf” stuff for $13.97 instead of the exact same bunch of chemicals prescribed by your Doctor for $358.95!! (I guess he likes me because I always call him by name, and when the girl asks, “Do you have any questions on this prescription for the pharmacist?” I always answer, “Yeah, Isn’t it time for you to pick up the tab this time Jack?” And we both smile.

        Well enjoy life, I know I am, afterall it’s 9:45 a.m. and I’m due at work at 8:30 am,……gee guess I’m late so fire me and I’ll sue you, they tell me I’m a senior citizen and you damn well don;t want to mess with us!

        “Why not?” you ask.

        “Think about it dip-shit. We have been working our asses off for fifty years or so, are slowing down big time, it takes you at 30 almost a third less time to run a mile than me. My target heart rate on you would mean your sleeping. I spend more on medication than beer (very sad commentary on life, for it was the beer that used to calm my fears and make life “rosey”) So what have I got to lose, you know. I strangle the shit out of you, sit and have a beer waiting for the cops to come, waive my rights, get the speedy trial, and spend the rest of my life in a FREE 8×10 foot place I can call home with no mortgage payment, three square meals a day, FREE, no cost health and dental care, a big library with tons of stuff to read, my own TV if I’m good, …….and yes it’s prison, but the way this world has been going I got a hunch in a few years one might be safer on the inside,…..you know what I mean?

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