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160th Birthday

My brother, Stan, and our uncle, Harold,
were born precisely thirty years apart.
They celebrate their birthdays together;
most recently, their 160 birthdays.
Just to save you from all the trigonometry
and triangulation, Harold is 95.

Harold's drivers license expired,
so he took the renewal test.
His eyesight was fine, but then they asked
what medications he was taking.
He hesitated, fumbling for an answer.
"What medications?" she insisted.
"I don't take medications!" Harold replied.
"None!  That's how many!  None!"
"OK," she told Harold.  "Your next renewal
will be in five years."

I had to explain to Harold that you cannot
get to 100 without a drivers license,
but that it was worth the hassle.

Harold and Ruth are to wonder at.
Ruth's mother lived to be 107,
but she had to be hospitalized
for several days toward the end.
She was probably weakened by
the medications Harold doesn't take.

Harold says he isn't as hearty
as he used to be, several decades ago,
when he and Ruth retired and spent
several years in the Peace Corp in Africa.
Even so, things are looking up!

(You will notice that I have not said much
about the kid, Stan, who is only 65.
The Hanson family--that's Ruth's side--
is still waiting to see how he turns out.)

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