I sometimes wonder about what Kristin and I will look like in old age. Will we be the fat frumpy grandparents? Me with arthritic hands that when laid on a table the fingers point in different directions, large belly tucked into the elastic waistband of my khakis that slightly cover the black socks stuffed into some loafers? Kristin with the puffy cheeks with natural blush, bright glinting eyes, curlers in her silver hair? Or will we be the couple who find the health-gods in mid-life so we have some tone to us, yet by 80 our tone is lost to sagging muscles and slight pot bellies. Or perhaps we will be ravaged by sickness and we will be nothing but skin and bones with a slight yellowish pallor? I would like to think that we will be the fat frumpy kind. The kind that have to lean in to kiss each other good morning like some little Norwegian figurines. The kind that doesn’t mind cooking up a quick batch of cookies if children and grandchildren are going to come visit. The kind that children and grandchildren don’t mind coming to visit.
In any event, I see us as an old crinkly couple. I see us with crows feet in our eyes, silver thinning hair falling in our eyes, bright slightly watery eyes looking out from behind the hair, and wrinkles in our lips that no chapstick can fix. I can see us sitting under an afghan together, hands holding gnarled hands, and watching some silly crime-drama thats currently on TV. When that show is over, if we haven’t already fallen asleep, I imagine we will lay down in our bed and talk about whatever pops in our heads at the time. Or, if it is still light out, I imagine we will go out and work in the yard a bit making the greens greener and the weeds deader. Not to say we do much yard work now, nor will we be inclined to do so in the near future, but it seems like a good patient past time to have.
I also envision us being surrounded by lots of pets. Neighborhood pets that come to visit, children’s pets that no longer can be handled at home, our own collection of animals that have mysteriously grown over time. When Kristin and I first met she swore off dogs, said she’d never have one again, would only be a cat person. After 14 years of knowing me she is in love with dogs, my evil plan is working (insert diabolical laughter). Anyway, I see us being surrounded by lots of animals, some children, and hopefully some grandchildren. And when we die people will be able to look at us and say, “they were happy.”
