I Thought You Said You Were An Artist

The other day I was in McDonald's. I was making some Greeting Cards,when I noticed an older man sitting behind me. He was alone and was kind of humming to himself. I often talk to older people, but I was busy, so I just kept to myself. But, the thought that I should acknowledge him, nagged me.

So I turned around and said " Hello, how are you?"

He said or I should say yelled, "WELL, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM AN 88 YEAR MAN? I HAVE A BAD HEART AND HAVE HAD 2 PACEMAKERS!"

I laughed inside a bit, as my husband had met an elderly man, a few weeks ago. They started talking about the weather. My husband said " What do we have to complain about?" The older gentleman rubbed the front of his shirt and said, " I have a feeding tube!"

They just tell it like it is!

The man I met asked me if I worked there. I said " No" and he said " Oh, you look like the boss"

He said, " Are you a teacher?"

"No", I answered.

"Well what are you doing?"

I said that I was making greeting cards.

" Well, what for?"

 I said I was going to send them to people.

He said, "Why?"

I explained about how nice it is to get a greeting card in the mail, in these days of technology.

"Oh...you mean you are going to put a STAMP ON EACH ONE?"

When I said yes, he understood the mailing part, but the technology part, not so much.

He then said, " Are you an artist or something?"

I said " Yes", remembering how I used to think I didn't have a "right" to call myself that.  That was similar to when I realized I could call myself a writer.

"Well what do you use...oil paints?" he continued.

I said "No, I draw the picture and use watercolor pencils and markers to color them in."

He said, " Oh then you are NOT an artist!"

I was a little taken back and thought, "Should I even go there?", when he quickly said " Hey, who are you voting for Obama or Romney?"

My art quickly jumped off of his radar screen.

This 88 year old man would not let me entertain any self accolades.

As far as he was concerned...I wasn't the boss...I wasn't a teacher and I sure wasn't an artist!

And at 88 years old, he deserves to have his own opinion.