Monday, June 1, 2009

60 Isn't Old . . . For a Galapagos Land Tortoise*

* Average life span: 193 years.

I had another physical therapy appointment today, for my knee. A different therapist worked with me, and her name was Phoebe. She was fairly young, and very nice.

As she put me through my paces, she asked me questions. "Do you have any children or grandchildren?" "How long have you lived in Albuquerque?" "Where did you live before you moved here?" When she found out I was from Alaska, she told me about her cousin, who lives in Haines. She wants to go and visit him, and she had lots of questions for me about traveling there. In the course of this conversation she asked how long I had lived there, and I gave her a brief accounting of my years in Alaska.

When I was done with the exercises, Phoebe did an ultrasound heat treatment on my knee (wonderful!). While she was doing this, another young therapist came in the room and turned on some music. "Oh," the newly-arrived therapist exclaimed, "I've always loved that song! It's from the movie Pretty Woman. Do you remember that movie, Phoebe? It's an old one."*

"You think that's old," said Phoebe, "Do you know she (pointing at me) lived in Alaska before it was a state?!" It only took a second or so for her to realize the implication of what she had said, and then she turned red and started a bumbling apology.

As for me, I burst out laughing. Well, you know, it was either that or cry!

*Pretty Woman came out in 1990. Wasn't that just yesterday?

3 comments:

Papa John said...

One of my last acts in Juneau before we came home yesterday was to read your blog aloud to a few of your fans. I don't think I have ever read anyone's blog out loud before, and on this occasion, the audience was rapt! (GK & family, BW, and me.)

We shared a mighty good laugh at young Phoebe's innocent remark, but agreed that all the Julia Roberts chik-flicks are fairly recent, so-to-speak.

Then a couple of us were reminded that we were a bit older than you and in high school and college on Alaska's Statehood Day. That was also BW's 16th birthday; of course, I was older still.

Thanks for posting a dandy story, especially since it was partly at your own expense.

Anonymous said...

Dont cry, just think of all the great songs they have 'missed'. And yes it was yesterday!

Linda

Anonymous said...

Yeah...what do they know?? Sixty is looking younger every day!!

Love,

GR