Geezer-discount

“So what, pray tell, is the ‘Golden-Apple’ discount?” I asked ****, our wonderful young waitress at the Canandaigua Applebee’s.
**** is gonna make a fabulous wife, if she hasn’t already.
I was eating-out with my friend *** ******, as I do every Tuesday night.
****** and I are widowers. We’re both also car-guys.
“I haven’t figured your ‘Golden-Apple’ discount yet,” **** told ******.
It’s for veterans — ****** is a veteran.
It’s the same for senior-citizens.
“So do I qualify for the geezer-discount?” I asked. “I am 73 ya know.”
“I woulda never known that,” **** said. “Ya don’t look that old.”
My hair is white, as is my beard. I look in the mirror and see an old man.
I think it’s my refusal to act my age. I still talk and act like a young pup — snide remarks, wisecracks, sick jokes and puns.
Muscles ache, my balance is dreadful, I have a knee-replacement, and I no longer have a prostate (not “prostrate”) gland.
It was removed as beginning cancerous.
Unlike some retirees I’m not bored-to-death. Judge-Judy, Facebook, Dr. Phil, Facebook, Oprah, then “Dancing-with-the-Stars” or “Da-VOICE.”
None of that for this kid! What interests me are -a) slinging words (what I’m doing here), -b) chasing trains (I’m a railfan), and then -c) fiddling my train-pictures on this laptop with Photoshop-Elements.
Been doin’ that all my life. Any jobs I had supported those things, and the best job I ever had involved those things.
I don’t think any of this makes me look any younger, but my attitude might.

• Exchange in 12th-grade English class: “Hughes, you write extremely well.” “But Dr. Zink,” I said — his name was Zink. “All it is is slinging words.” (I thought him joking.)