"Well, what is 'over 50' supposed to mean?" grumbled San Geraldo. "If you're 50, are you eligible or do you have to be 51?"
I said, "Well, if you've been 50 for one second, you're already over 50."
"No you're not," he responded a bit defensively. "You're not over 50 until you're 51."
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| GLEN PARK, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA: FREE CHECKING... IF YOU'RE OVER 50. |
I tried every argument I could think of, but I couldn't convince him to see it the way I did. No matter how I tried to argue the point, San Geraldo insisted he was right. We opened the discussion to friends. Most sided with me but a few sided with him. We've disagreed on the issue ever since. And that's a shame because, otherwise, we'd have always been in perfect harmony.
Today, while we were having coffee at Café Manila, I teased San Geraldo that, since his birthday was yesterday, some would say he was now over 65. I then shared San Geraldo's way of thinking with one of the other regulars, Heather, a quick-witted and very clever Englishwoman well over 65.
Heather thought a moment and then, looking perplexedly at San Geraldo, said, "So then your entire first year you were naught?"
And now he understands.
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| SAN GERALDO IN 1949: THE POOR BOY THOUGHT HE WAS NAUGHT. |
It all depends on one's perspective and being at this point of time, 50, I'm with San Geraldo. I won't be 'over' fifty until 26 April and not a moment before!
ReplyDeleteKirk
Kirk:
DeleteSo you also spent one day short of a year being "naught." You've missed out on a year of free checking. (But San Geraldo I'm sure would still argue that it would be more correct to say "50 and over" and I might at least concede that point.)
LOL! Hilarious! We have had the same 'conversation' many times. Like last month for instance.....Ron had his 64th birthday. I had to tell him, just because, he was now in his 65th year as he had just completed his 64th!
ReplyDeletehe did NOT want to hear this!
Heather came through for you Mitch but know San Geraldo understands.
Jim:
DeleteOh, yes, we've had THAT conversation, too. San Geraldo was able to grasp that one much more easily (although no more willingly). Oddly, I used the same basic argument Heather used; I asked, "So, when were you in your FIRST year?"
I'm in my 60th year and, with the shoe on the other foot, I don't like the sound of it!
Well then Mr. Smarty-Panties !!! If I'm supposedly 65 then where is my first OAS cheque that all Canadians get...last time I checked my bank account didn't show any deposits. Aren't we lucky though to get Old Age Security!? LOL
DeletePS: Perfect sentence exemplifying "cheque vs check" LOL again!
Ron
Ron:
DeleteIt's like talking to San Geraldo!
Jim didn't say you're 65 (I don't think). You're "in your 65th year"!
What year were you in when you were 7 months old? (And don't tell me you were just a baby and couldn't do numbers.)
Before you were 1, you were "in your 1st year." When you completed your first year, you were then 1. ¿Comprende?
It's a good thing you guys are cute! (Or at least you were the last time I chequed... I mean checked.)
Hey you should be a teacher speaking of which I had a mad crush on my math Gr 9, 10 & 11 math teacher who just happened to be a manly man, only if I was older like 65 maybe!!
DeleteWinks
HaHaHa trust Heather to cut to the quick
ReplyDeleteTynan:
DeleteIt was priceless.
It's not so bad being naught, it means one is well on the way to being naughty.
ReplyDeleteJacquelineand...
DeleteAnd San Geraldo made the transition successfully.
Okay... how about this? Where I worked, you had to work 20 years in order to "take" your accumulated vacation when you retired. I started there 1-17-1977. I quit work there on 1-17-1997. I always regretted that I didn't quit on 1-16-1997... wouldn't that have fulfilled my obligation to work 20 years? Probably not, if San Geraldo had been my boss :-)
ReplyDeleteSharon:
DeleteLeave it to you! I'm so glad he wasn't your boss. And I'm also glad you decided that it wasn't worth taking any chances and stayed that extra day.
How can one be OVER 50 if one is STILL 50?
ReplyDeleteI say 51 is the date when you are OVER 50..
Bob:
DeleteSan Geraldo says, "You are so right!" I say, "So, you're one of those who believes he was "naught" for a year.
So now I am "over 60".........how sad for me. Seriously though, please wish Jerry a very happy belated birthday from Todd and I.
ReplyDeleteCarole:
DeleteTo make San Geraldo (and you) happy, let's just say you are now in the category of "60 and over."
My brain hurts!
ReplyDeleteRaybeard:
DeleteBut not for naught...
It might have solved the argument to just go into the bank and apply for free checking - and agree to abide by the bank's definition of "over 50".
ReplyDeletePersonally, I would love to be 50 again or 51 or 52. I'm 65; or should I say "over 65"? and yesterday in particular, after cleaning up the latest snow storm, I felt like 90.
Frank:
DeleteNo, your solution wouldn't have worked for San Geraldo. (I think he was too disgusted with the idea that he might have already been "over" 50.) I wouldn't mind being in the shape I was in at 50, but I wouldn't want to go back. Is it time for a snow-blower? Shoveling snow was too much for me when I was 30!