Will you still need me, Part 2:

Late January, 2016

Some years back, I remember visiting my parents in Arizona--long before I realized that someday those things that only happen to old people would happen to me.

At some point, after dinner, there was conversation among the "old folks", that-- dare I say--had to be tolerated by younger people, and that had much to do with who had surgery, what aches and pains were du jour, and even, perhaps, who had passed on.  It seemed to me then that there were a thousand things more worthy of talking about, but these things seemed important to them.  So I listened.

I must also confess that until recently I had not contemplated the importance of those of the previous generation, either in terms of wisdom, or knowledge, or that they wouldn't be around forever.  It certainly has something to do with aging--scratch that--maturing, and beginning to wonder about your "legacy".  Who, exactly, will give a r@#s A-- that I am not around, or remember much of anything that I did or was? 

Now, especially as I am working on ancestry, I have begun caring, wondering, and researching those who came before.  Mysteries appear--some solved, some not.  For example, on a recent document I found a notation that my 2nd great uncle - Murray Winkler, a bachelor - was murdered in Iowa in 1928.  Suddenly, I'm engrossed in trying to discover if it is true, where it happened, why, and how if at all this makes any difference to me 80+ years later. His obituary says he died of influenza.  Hmmm. 

My mother recently shared a photo album of her family photos from her childhood, that neither I nor my siblings remember seeing.  Most of the photos weren't labeled, and so I sat her down, went thru them one by one, and wrote on the back of each.  I realized that only she and her sister remain of the siblings, so a sense of urgency overcame me. 

In addition to these mysteries of antiquity, I find myself wondering about things that seem inconsequential, but shouldn't be. Can I name all the planets in the galaxy? What's the capitol of Idaho? Can I recite the entire police 10-code like I used to?  How many different cars have I owned and what were they? Who was that kid that played bass drum on 1812 with Phantom Regiment?[BTW, the partial answer here is "chemo-brain"].