Keep Shoveling

Here it comes ….another birthday. In the past they were usually a big deal. From one with my friends all driving to Boston in two cars to celebrate some birthday in my twenties only lose each other on the highway but yet somehow meet again an hour later in some random dive bar. Others were celebrated with family and friends either snowboarding with my daughter or being part of some dinner party play that I was eventually performing in.
But this one was significantly if for no ther reason other than it would be official entry into the the club. The club being that of old cranky white guys. I was already cranky and white so adding OLD to that list was simply a matter of arithmetic and time.

70 is old, not middle age…it’s officially old.

I have done a lot in my life… a family, friends, many “ adventures “ that I was lucky enough to survive and if I had told you that the painfully shy 12 year old who was playing basketball on court in mid February that he had just shoveled so we could shoot at a bent backboard that he would go on to start several business and become someone’s boss in a government agency I would never believe it.

Now my days are filled with friends, family and the daily chores of keeping a 200 year old house from falling down. Among those chores are things like shoveling a sidewalk for people that I don’t know. It’s a task that I enjoy …no payment..no pat on the back….just the simple satisfaction of doing a job that needs to be done. I also know that it is my responsibility as a homeowner to clear a path so my neighbors don’t have risk their lives by walking in the street as they pass our house

During the latest storm I had to shovel the same sidewalk three times because it would fill up again every time that a plow went by. With my back beginning to bark I was finishing what hoped would be my last battle with the sidewalk slush when I noticed several future male juvenile delinquents making there way down the street towards me having just been released from nearby middle school. I fully expected some wise cracks or maybe snowball thrown my way from the skateboard toting loudmouth who appeared to be their leader. I stood my ground as they approached…an old man and his shovel defending his turf.

” Get out of the street “ I shouted as they grew near. Sure enough the “ leader” spoke first…What are ya shoveling? “ he asked. “ I’m giving you a clean path out of the street” I barked. “ Thanks” was the unexpected reply from the skateboard. We were suddenly best friends and after a brief conversation with the old man and his shovel the boys moved on. “One more question” I shouted as they almost danced down the street with what was probably some rap music flooding the headphones of one them so loud that they all could hear it. “ Whats your favorite band?” I shouted, full expecting some obscure to me famous rap group. “Zeppelin !!! “ the yelled in unison raising fits in the air without out even turning around..

” Rock On “ I yelled barely able to contain the joy that I was feeling for the future and and a thank you to the universe for giving me a little something for doing what I thought was a thankless job.

My future as of now being officially an Old Man is simpler and so much more satisfying so I will keep having birthdays ,carry on and keep shoveling 😎