Thursday, February 15, 2007

Crabby Old Man

Rick..

Thanks for sharing the e-mail ..
Quite often its seems that our accomplishments in life are lost and forgotten
Where ... will be our life's history when our life ends ?
for sure it was more than what is recorded on a grave stone in a cemetery

That is why I feel it is so important for each of us
to document our life events as we go along,

and put the right spin on it
for if we don't think well of our selves who will ?

Hooray
for the crabby old man .
. who was sane enough to write the poem before his life's end

from the Laptop of
My Name is Bob..


Just thought I'd share with y'all something
I found very profound, pertinent,
thought provoking and touching.
Rick



Crabby Old Man

When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a small hospital near
Tampa, Florida, it was believed that he had nothing left
of any value. Later, when the nurses were going through his meager
possessions, they found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed
the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the
hospital.

One nurse took her copy to Missouri. The old man's sole
bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas edition of the
News Magazine of the St. Louis Association for Mental Health. A slide
presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent,
poem.

And this little old man, with nothing left to give to the world,
is now the author of this "anonymous" poem winging across the Internet

Crabby Old Man

What do you see nurses? ....What do you see?
What are you thinking......when you're looking at me?
A crabby old man, ..........not very wise,
Uncertain of habit ........with faraway eyes?

Who dribbles his food.......and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice....."I do wish you'd try!"
Who seems not to notice .....the things that you do.
And forever is losing ..... a sock or shoe?

Who, resisting or not...........lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding ..... the long day to fill?
Is that what you're thinking? .. Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse......you're not looking at me.

I'll tell you who I am ....... as I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, ...as I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of Ten......with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters .......who love one another

A young boy of Sixteen ...with wings on his feet
Dreaming that soon now ..........a lover he'll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty ......my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows.......that I promised to keep.

At Twenty-Five, now ......... I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide ..... and a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty ........... my young now grown fast,
Bound to each other ......... with ties that should last.

At Forty, my young sons ........have grown and are gone,
But my woman's beside me........to see I don't mourn.
At Fifty, once more, ...... babies play 'round my knee,
Again, we know children ......... my loved one and me.

Dark days are upon me ........ my wife is now dead.
I look at the future ............... I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing ....young of their own.
And I think of the years.....and the love that I've known.

I'm now an old man.........and nature is cruel.
Tis jest to make old age .......look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles..........grace and vigor, depart.
There is now a stone........where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass ....a young guy still dwells,
And now and again ........my battered heart swells.
I remember the joys............. I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living...........life over again.

I think of the years ....all too few......gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact.......that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people ......open and see.
Not a crabby old man.
Look closer...see........ME!!

Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might
brush aside without looking at the young soul within...we will all,
one day, be there, too!



Sunday, February 11, 2007

Lonely Old Man's End of Life Story

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/
End of life story

An old man finds his house slowly overrun by neighborhood drug users and prostitutes.
Instead of trying to kick them out, he decides to befriend them, after all he is very lonely .
With this decision His home – and his life – will never be the same.

Yes, he is in his 70's .. at first he is able to maintain control.. but as the months go by his guests gain control..
and he now lives in a small room withoiut electricity and plumbing .. all he has left is a pot to piss in .
His house been overrun by neighborhood drug users and prostitues and his treasures scattered and his house in shambles..

The authorties step in..they now consider this an house of ill repute.. They want the house condemed ..
The old man , drug users and prostitutes out
They take the old man to the hospital for evaluation
He is now in Big Brother's care
Old Man's final years are not what he expected or wanted ..

Moral of the story:
Choose your friends wisely and make sure you plans for retirement make sense..
or you will end-up in the hands of Big-Brother or Big-Sister

Thanks for your help

From the laptop of Bob .. trying to be a very sensible retiree



http://www.thisamericanlife.org/
----- Original Message -----




Sent: Saturday, February 10, 2007 11:41 AM

Subject: Re: Getting Rid of Stuff at Scotty's Auction Service in August


That's an idea. That makes sense. We would have to figure out the details but this could work....

Tony G.