BEER PONG, LOUD MUSIC, AND PARTY TALK

Recently I was invited to a party where I was the oldest guest amongst mostly young marrieds (or nearly so)under thirty, happy people who were relaxing on a weekend to celebrate Autumn with friends. It has been a long time since I have been to a party with so many under thirty who shared so much of life in common and relaxed; in a way foreign, somewhat, than those which I might have known 50 or so years ago.

Enthusiasm for life and friends was similar, but the methods of interacting for a whole evening were different. The music could have been from another planet, played with such volume one equated it with being in a club with no rugs, drapes or anything to absorb sound. I recalled seeing Aquarius (when speakers were first placed all around the theater, blasting and to torturing ear drums) and high volume still makes my head shut down. The host and hostess had clearly researched a pleasing, appropriate array of food. Sauerkraut meatballs, sauerkraut, salad, sausages grilled, tenderloin grilled, soft pretzels with an amazing cheese-based sauce/dip, were just a few of the gastronomic goodies. I'll not tease with a description of the many wonderful desserts. In addition to a huge keg of beer packed in ice, there were cartons of almost every beer imaginable...at least to me, a Scotch drinker. Wine, Margaritas, and hot cider also showed up on the drink menus posted in several sites. Having been there in my youth, I anticipated (with empathic pain)next days hangovers.

I'd never seen Beer Pong played and was thrilled at the kindness shown to me by this group of about 15 couples who let me play. My partner, acknowledging that I was drinking Scotch, drank the beer for our losses. Happily, I scored one on my first, (also probably last game ever played). Cheers went up as though this old lady had won the baseball pennant single handedly. It was clear they had expected me to refuse their offer to play...little did they know my rather active past!

Conversations, which I could hardly help but overhear bits and pieces of, haven't changed much; a wedding planned for later this month, jobs, living arrangements, house buying, do-it-yourself house repairs, hockey, catching up with people not seen for a while, exactly what I might have remembered as age appropriate. Compared to my age group which focuses on their latest trip to the doctor, the medications they are taking, their next scheduled surgery, and which retirement community they will go to when they sell their house.

I advise, when you age past sixty, it is time to start making younger friends if you haven't been doing that all along.